Archaíos Apokalýpseis Evangelion
by Anesti-zoi
Summary: What happened after the end? Can we, humanity, continue without our gods to guide us? After "he" and "she" experienced the rapture of "her" how can they not hope? How can they not continue? How can they not love? But even they are subject to fate and when a horrible twist of it gives birth to a new messiah, how will this child change the world? Will it be for the better or worse?
1. The Beast and Devil's spawn

**I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or the End of Evangelion, all respective rights goes to the owners. **

**This will be the only disclaimer. Please enjoy! **

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**[This is a Community Project, for more Info read the Author's note at the bottom!]**

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**Archaíos Apokalýpseis Evangelion**

**Prologue: The Beast and Devil's spawn**

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The remains of god's body, the holy union of Adam and Lilith, lay grossly scattered across its home. The decomposing flesh, instead of tainting the air, purified it. Its severed head seemingly watched over Shinji Ikari, the former medium of Instrumentality. He laid on the beach, his white dress shirt and black pants still soaked from the LCL. The odd smell filled his lungs as he stared at Earth's blood stained moon, he remembered the cross Misato gave him.

He held the small trinket, its cord wrapped around the entirety of his fist. She hadn't come back yet. He lifted himself up to the new world, its waters distorted by LCL, the crucified bodies of the Mass Production Evangelions standing off-sided in the ocean. His hand carved into the snow-white sand below him, he lifted it up where he could see it. The tips of his fingers rubbed the grains of sand between them.

With the strength that he had, his body raised, the sterling cross securely enclosed within his hand. He weakly limped over towards a graveyard of wooden poles protruding from the ground.

He found, with little effort, a blunt rock. His eyes scanned for just the right monument to her memory, when he found one with a single nail embedded in it. He tenderly observed the jewelry, then ripped its cord, with only the cross intact, he placed the nail through the hole. But that alone wouldn't hold it there, so he took the rock and smashed the nail flush to the cross. He quietly stood in vigil over her grave, she isn't coming back... This only reminded him of what mother said, "Anyone can return, so long as they can imagine themselves within their heart."

His gaze set on the cross, "Nobody's coming back." He'd been here for what? Days? He lost count after the first sunset, and he alone rested along the beaches. Had he gone insane from loneliness? Probably, hell he was crazy even before all this happened. This solitary only confirmed it.

The former Evangelion pilot reluctantly left his make-shift grave for her. He led himself to the body impression on the sand, he took his place and returned to counting the impacts that blemished the stained moon.

* * *

His ears filled with the placid waves crashing against the bone white shore. He'd been listening for hours, the sloshing sounds of LCL against sand was soothing, oddly. He continued listening until, he heard something drop into the sea.

He turned towards it slowly, Rei... She floated above the sea, part of her was hidden behind something red. He watched her, while she looked back, her stoic mask as strong as ever. Did she really care? Yes. Yes she did. And with only a twitch of his eye did she disappear again.

He forced himself up, his eyes searched for her half-heartedly. He gave up, then studied the red next to him. Asuka, her eye and right arm wrapped by an unknown entity, stared into the Milky-way. Her red plugsuit's right arm sleeve was missing. His shallow angst ripped at his insides while he gluttonously eyed her body. For all the hell she put him through, all the names, the rejections, he couldn't stand her! Why did she come back?! Of all the people to come back, she did!

Shinji dragged himself across the sand and straddled Asuka's waist. His face, disturbingly, never changed from its stone exterior, although his emotions ran amuck. His thumbs dug into her apple, its brethren wrapped around her frail nape.

He's really going to kill her, Asuka laid there defenceless, unable to do anything but blame herself. She loves Shinji Ikari, why did he never see that, he didn't hold her, he didn't advance, he's so stupid. Why? She told him of her Wall of Jericho, yet he didn't topple it. She was going to die, again. At lease she deserved it now and the one thing that stood out from the rest of her shattered mind was one thing, she loves him, Shinji Ikari, pilot of Evangelion Unit-01. With all the vigor she could muster, she gave her last sign of affection, a testament to change.

Shinji noticed Asuka elevating her hand, she's going to hit him. So Third Impact really did do nothing for her, or so he thought. Her right arm lifted to his face... gently. Gently? Her decimated hand _tenderly _caressed him, her fingers intertwined with his moppy dark-brown hair. She allowed her hand to slowly trail down his face, until it fell. Shinji stopped all motoring function, could she? His hands loosened, then he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Asuka felt water collide with her cheeks, was he crying? She looked up to him, his hands had left her. Yes, he was crying, at least she had stupid Shinji back. Her senses noticed the vulgar, almost embalming smell of the LCL, it made her say one thing aloud, "I feel sick..."

* * *

She woke herself to the heavenly scent of... cooking? Her eye fluttered open, it gravitated towards the light that beckoned her. Shinji, with a piece of cloth wrapped around him, tended to a fire, he rigged a tripod made of sticks and a pot filled with something she knew would make her taste-buds scream.

She rose clumsily, Shinji heard it and left his stew for her. He quickly slid next to her, diligently checking her body. He wrapped his arm around his fellow pilot's back as he lifted her, "Are you alright?"

Hell no, her arm hurts and she lost an eye, how would she be ok? Stupid Shinji... Besides that internal issue she nodded, her one good arm pointed towards the pot, Shinji noticed it, "Oh, I figured that I could make some soup."

She moved her arm towards her stomach, it rubbed the epidermis above said organ in circles. He took a split-second to decipher her gesture. He placed her down and raced to the blazing fire, he hissed in pain when his hand caught a heated piece of metal. He recovered quickly, his hand hastily poured the soup into a clean, tin can.

He gave it to her, his hand shook violently as it neared her's. Asuka watched his hand spasm, then it neared her grasp, where she took it from him thoughtfully. He lifted her again, while she sipped the stew. God, was she really this degraded? She purely dependant upon Shinji to care for her broken form, this was awful. She felt his arms around her, holding her so she could enjoy his meal. She fought her pride and with what will she had left, she told him, "Thank you..."

She felt Shinji tense, then relax. Did Asuka just say thank you? He almost felt like laughing but, continued holding her until she finished. Asuka licked her chapped lips, "Do we have any water?"

Shinji nodded, his hand traveled to the homemade bandolier and retrieved a bottle of purified water. His hand gave it to her, without shaking much. She took a quick swig, then handed it back to him. "So, where did you find the supplies?"

Shinji took a granola bar out for himself, replying, "There's a Chinese supermarket about a quarter-mile away from here."

Asuka's brow arched questionably, "A 'Chinese' supermarket?"

Shinji groaned, well this'll be hard to explain, "Um, yea we're on Asia's coast now. I think."

Her eye twitched, she looked around, a few signs and remaining boats emblazoned with the foreign language, "Why are we in China?"

Shinji sighed, oh crap... "Well, there's not much left of, you know... Japan."

Asuka blinked, so it's gone? Everything? It must've been those Mass Production Evas, assholes... She turned back to Shinji, who silently chewed his grain bar, "Were is everyone?"

He stopped in mid-bite, his newly gained appetite disappeared, again, "I... I don't know."

Asuka eye left him and traveled towards the stars, she remembered the moon a little differently than before, one being that there wasn't a big ass blood streak across it before. She also noticed weird, red lines marking the skies. God has the world changed that much in the time she was gone? Her eye returned to Shinji, his granola bar forgotten, she asked him, "Can I have a blanket?"

His shoulders drooped, "Sorry, I didn't get one."

Asuka grimaced a little, she didn't know why but, her body felt extremely cold. If she wasn't in near the fire, she'd be stiff as a board. Her hand rubbed the aching right shoulder, it almost felt numb. She knew the possibility of her ever recovering function within her arm was unlikely. It's a just dead piece of meat now, who cares? She didn't.

Shinji twirled his thumbs, he thought of Third Impact, Rei, father, mother... But Jesus, thinking about Rei was the worse, who was she? His sister, mother, Lilith? Because with the way she confessed herself to the sixteenth angel about him, utterly baffled any previous conceptions he had of her. She told him that she didn't love him _that_ way before, what changed? Did anyone know, because he sure as hell didn't.

He turned back towards the fiery German, even with her being so weak, she radiated with beauty. God he's such an idiot, after Third Impact he finally understood Asuka, on a certain level, why she was mean, why she called him horrible names, and why she abandoned him. Because of Shinji himself.

All her advances were to pull him closer to her. The shallow words she directed towards him, were in her mind to be used for strengthening him. And that kiss... she wanted him to hold her. Her cries of disgust, were to mask her inner turmoil, he guessed that's why she's always calling him idiot. If only he had the courage, if he wasn't such a coward none of this wouldn't have happened.

Asuka curled into a fetal position, noticing this, he moved over and patted her back, "Wanna be closer to the fire?"

She felt his hand touch her back, it tingled. Her head raised just high enough to look over her shoulder. Her eye meet his pair, she nodded. He took a deep breath, flexing, then relaxing his hand into a fist. He took her in his arms, bridal style, she wrapped her left arm around his neck, her head nuzzled into his collar-bone. He walked to the fire, Asuka holding on tightly to him.

He set himself and Asuka down next to the fire. He moved her away from himself, thinking that she wouldn't want to be near him. She watched him stare into the fire, his body further away from her's. The silence between them nearly drove Asuka insane but, something interrupted it. Her plugsuit lost energy, she studied the energy-gauge which now rested on zero. It loosened, the plates holding it together hissed apart, Shinji eyes widened in horror, as they split.

Asuka wasn't just bandaged on her arm and eye but, her entire body. From breast to hips, they covered her torso completely in gauze, perhaps it was the only thing holding her together. Not her pride or hate but those blood stained bandages...

Asuka simply downcasted herself in self-pity, so the plugsuit wasn't tighter than usual, it was this. These bandages, they felt like strings binding her to a puppeteer, she felt like a stitched up doll...

He didn't know what to say, all of this, her body, her mental state, it was his fault. "Asuka..."

She forced back tears, her covenant would not be broken now, "Don't even."

Shinji's eyes stung, his gaze never left her's. He had to do something, but what? He moved over to her, his body quivered with each step, "I can't even begin to understand... what," he paused, clenching his teeth, he spoke through them, "you're going through Asuka but, can I..."

Was he? No, he's lying. "Go away." She heard his feet shuffle the sand as he came closer to her, "Go away... please." It stopped, he stopped.

Shinji's mind fought itself, leave her alone, she doesn't need him, she's strong. No she's weak like he is, the only way to move forward is to stop pushing others away. Shinji Ikari musn't run away. He lowered himself next to her, his arms wrapped around her broken, lithe vessel.

Asuka's mind froze, not from the cold numbness but, from Shinji's warmth. His arms around her, the beating of his heart vibrating on her back, the hot, dry breath that tickled her neck. No this is wrong, Shinji isn't suppose to be bold, she was! Her pride told her to move but, her body didn't comply. She lost her resistance with Shinji's upcoming words.

"I want to understand, I don't know whether I'll ever understand everything about you. I can't expect that because, I don't understand everything about me. But, I have to put forth effort to understand others, otherwise I'll always be alone." His hand moved to her stunning roux strains of hair, his fingers rubbed the silky textures together, "I want to understand you, Asuka."

Her lips pursed, her eye brimmed with tears, not now. Please. She wanted to be left alone, leave her alone. Why won't he listen! Then she looked down, Shinji's hands encased her by the waist. He lifted her body unto his, where he contacted her with his eyes. His dull, steely cobalt blue eyes dived into her single blazing sapphire.

"I..." he nearly choked upon his own words, tears trailed his cheeks. He had to stay, and not run away. "I love you Asuka..."

She couldn't comprehend, he loves her? How? Why? She left him in his time of need, she refused to help him. How could he love her after all that? Her bandaged torso meet his clothed one, she felt his heart beating faster with every second she didn't answer. Her lips quivered, and finally, Jericho's walls fell.

For the first time in ten years, Asuka's tears met Earth's decomposing air. "You idiot..." Her hands clawed his shirt, grabbing it sorrowfully. She cried, each tear meeting him, for he now was, in her mind, the only one worthy of them. "I love you too."

* * *

2017- Two years after Third Impact. Earth's population slowly grows and reconquers their homes. Small communities form to keep peace. The Japanese people are without a home, their ancestral homeland obliterated by an unknown force. In one of these communities, one of the first children of the Neon Genesis is born.

A grown teen sat outside a beige tent, its side bore a red cross. He waited, his white shirt and wind-breaker fluttered in the wind, the suffering of his beloved tore him to pieces. He'd been waiting for hours, his body sweat in anticipation for a new arrival.

He heard the flaps open, a brunette Ritsuko Akagi stood before him. Her classic lab coat and kitten pocket-protector still intact. Her jade eyes were assisted by a narrow frame of glasses. He remembered when she returned a few months ago, and with her help they were able to hold the growing population of their home. She sighed, "Shinji. There's been some complications."

Shinji's eyes widened, oh god. "What's wrong?"

Rits chewed her thumbnail, the anxiety of the situation was driving her to the max, "We had to make a Cesarean section, due to the majority of her internal organs being heavily damaged. The baby's only six and a half months into developement... I don't know if-"

"What are you saying?"

She swallowed her heart down, it throbbed within her chest cavity, "You should spend some time with them." Her hand lifted the tent opening, he walked in without another thought.

Asuka held her tiny bundle in a mediocre field hospital bed, there were blood stains on her gown, this was likely from the surgery. Shinji noticed her sunken eye. He walked closer, while she breast feed their child. He took a collapsible seat next to her, "So a boy or girl?"

She traced her fingers over the child's soft cranium, "A girl."

He chuckled underneath his breath, "A girl..." His hand grazed the child's smooth skin, this was something completely new, he and Asuka made it. This beautiful child. His child. "Did she tell you?"

She visibly moved the baby closer towards her, she knew her fate. There were a few things they didn't expect out of this pregnancy, one was having the child so early, which they didn't even get a chance to decide a few names, "What should we name her?"

He mused, his mind searched for anything to begin with. One thing came to mind, "Kasumi, morning's mist." Asuka nodded in approval, her eyes never leaving her.

"Leipzig?" Her eye left their child, meeting her lover's. Shinji smiled, his tears of angst and joy overcoming him. He took his shirt by the hem, wiping his tears away. She returned to her little bunch of joy, her severed hand touched the fine skin of the baby's cheek, caressing it tenderly, "Kasumi Leipzig Ikari."

Shinji asked, "Ikari? Are you sure?"

Asuka nodded, a smile dawning her face. Shinji took a minute to recoup himself properly, before leaving the tent. Ritsuko waited for him to exit, when he did, he'd changed drastically. He seemed haunted, not like before but, differently, he almost seem lost. Of course he looks sad, his kid's probably not going to make the night, that's how'd she feel if the same thing were to happen to her. She bothered not as he passed her, he continued walking towards his own tent.

He rested in a chair, his hands weakly rubbed his aching temples. These things that were happening around him tore at his foundations of sanity. Ritsuko told him he was likely suffering from PTSD, so he wasn't surprise when he had those nightmares about Third Impact, the MPEvas, Rei... Shinji Ikari lifted the palms of his hands, and watched them. Then he ended his mantra, and ran away, breaking his own covenant.

"Anywhere can be heaven, so long as you have the will to live." This was his hell now.

* * *

It was late that day, the news about him didn't reach Asuka yet, but many knew. She was asleep, the baby in her arms, clinging to life. Her small, incomplete breaths shortened with every drag of air. She bore a weak body but, an unbreakable soul, this life musn't be lost.

A druid materialized before them, one clothed in a modest robe of rags, it stood next to them. The druid's features were hidden by the hood's shadow, it looked down upon this wonderful blessing. It reached out, its hand left its reclusive sleeve. Its surface covered in a carapace, bone-like armor, and between these plates of bone was a thin layer of midnight black, holding the others together.

It raised its hand, the bony palm reached its face. A very faint smile grew upon the crimson-eyed being, it spoke in a fluent, monotone voice, "Kasumi Leipzig Ikari, I will bless you with unimaginable strength, for you will be my champion, my disciple, and our savior. Now my child," the druid kissed its palm and reached down to the chosen, where it rested against the infant's head, "this is the beginning of our Ancient Revelation Gospel. You will be our Peter."

"Welcome to the new world."

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Preview to next chapter Oni!

She ran, for she was the courier of her settlement, her arms full of the supplementary crops that they provided to this new, bustling city of Tianjin-4. Her breath became heavy, sweat beaded down her creamy skinned face, her lungs burned from the dry, city air. She halted and retrieved her inhaler, she used it, and regained her breath. She placed it back into her hoodie. She took a second to recover, then reached down for her trade. However, the earth glowed from a light, she looked up, her smile grew with awe.

A neon sign, "Welcome all to Unit-21! Come test your steel, can you best the beast?"

She looked through the alley of skyscrapers, where she saw it, her cobalt eyes scanned the beast. The ivory armor, and luminescent, violet highlights gave the machines petrified body a elegantly, vicious form. It was frozen within a crystalized, pink coffin, she saw a small line leading to the four eyed head, where a mysterious capsule exited with the previous participant climbing out.

She'd heard stories from mother about these machines, Evangelions. And when she had the chance, her eyes were glued to the gladiatorial fights but, mother objected to it for some odd reason. She been told by her mother of their power, the whim of god in the form of a machine. The awe-inspiring majesty of this celestial being pulled her closer, she found herself before its single, saber horn, "It's beautiful."

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**Author's notes: Well guys I'm happy to say that this chapter came out swimmingly! But, for this continuation of lore to proceed, I'll need your help! **

**We need pilots! If you make one, and if it's good enough, we'll add him/her to the story! To reach the Pilot Creation Sheet see here _www dot fanfiction dot net/topic/130733/83809292/1/_**

**O~ and another thing, for all of you who are new to my stories, I reply to any and all PMs or Reviews, so fire away! 8D**


	2. Oni!

******[This is a Community Project, for more Info read the Author's note at the bottom!]**

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**I: Oni!**

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She ran, for she was the courier of her settlement, her arms full of the supplementary crops that they provided to this new, bustling city of Tianjin-4. Her breath became heavy, sweat beaded down her creamy skinned face, her lungs burned from the dry, city air. She halted and retrieved her inhaler, she used it, and regained her breath. She placed it back into her hoodie. She took a second to recover, then reached down for her trade. However, the earth glowed from a light, she looked up, her smile grew with awe.

A neon sign, "Welcome all to Unit-21! Come test your steel, can you best the beast?"

She looked through the alley of skyscrapers, where she saw it, her cobalt eyes scanned the beast. The ivory armor, and luminescent, violet highlights gave the machines petrified body a elegantly, vicious form. It was frozen within a crystallized pink coffin, she saw a small line leading to the four eyed head, where a mysterious capsule exited with the previous participant climbing out.

She'd heard stories from mother about these machines, Evangelions. And when she had the chance, her eyes were glued to the gladiatorial fights but, mother objected to it for some odd reason. She been told by her mother of their power, the whim of god in the form of a machine. The awe-inspiring majesty of this celestial being pulled her closer, she found herself before its single, saber horn, "It's beautiful."

Her hand moved closer towards the rusted plating, it made contact. She felt the cool metal beneath her calloused palms, "Wow," She glided it around the rusted bits, flaking a few layers of armor away.

She didn't take notice of the plump man approaching her, "Excuse me," her body nearly jumped out of her fair skin, "but what are you doing?"

She recovered, her eyes studied him. The man, in his late forties, who wore a pair of bifocals, beige pants, and matching shirt, stood next to a counter. He took a cane from it and tapped the sign above, "Credits only. 25cR per run."

"Oh," she clasped her fingers together, hanging the pair around her waist, "I just wanted to look."

He scoffled, his arms crossed, "What's your name girl."

The courier blinked rapidly, "Uh, Kasumi Leipzig Ikari."

From her point of view the man seemed to've been taken aback, he eyed her questionably. He took a quick glance towards the colossal being hibernating next to them. His left hand fingers tapped against the tibia of the right, "Would you like a round on the house?"

Kasumi shook her head, "Nope, I need to head home, mama's probably worrying by now." She reached for the crops, a few shucks of corn and a sack of rice, "Thank you for the offer. Good-bye."

She walked off, leaving him, she headed towards the edges of Tianjin-4. The man watched another round of potential pilots eject from Unit-21's entry-plug, some cursed while others shuffled away depressingly. He mused over that girl, oh Asuka, what a daughter she has, he hopes she doesn't meet the same fate as her parents.

He adjusted his glasses, sighing, "God, we truly will be damned for what we did to them," his fingers tugged at his shirt, "After all," He looked up towards the titan, fond memories, and horrors of the past breached him, "When God's in his heaven, all is right with the world."

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Kasumi, by the light of night, found her way back into her outskirt settlement. She loved every bit of this place, from the gravel streets, rusted, steel buildings, and her little slice of heaven, Home.

On her way there, Kasumi waves toward anyone and everyone she can, mama always told her she was a sociable one, for her it just came naturally. However, she never really made forth an effort to make friends, her mother was enough for her. Kasumi continued her way home until she finally reached it.

The white picket fence shofered her into the modest home, the front door slid open, like a classic Japanese shoji. She threw the crops into the pantry, her eyes snagged the time from their kitchen stove. Crap, it's eleven, mama's gonna kill her! With absolute certainty that she'd get an earful, Kasumi traveled upstairs to her mother's room.

With luck she could butter her up, and not face mama's righteous wrath. She neared her room when a nearly inaudible sound came from her room, "...I'll kill you." Kasumi's eyes bulged, oh no. She quietly entered mama's room, her toes stood on nail in the approach.

In her mother's bed lay said women, her long silky roux hair mixed heterogeneously with the bed sheets. Her disfigured hand reached towards her room's ceiling-fan light, the remaining eye she carried flowed with tears. The other, covered with a black eye-patch.

Kasumi slid her petite body next to her mother's, she didn't notice her daughter's presence until Kasumi enveloped her mother's waist with her pale arms. Asuka brought her healed appendage down, placing the cauterized hand on her daughter's head, she fiddled with her astonishing auburn hair.

"Thank you honey."

* * *

Asuka woke to something that she became use to, Kasumi's cooking. She rose, her fingers rubbed the sand from both of her eyes, the lost one, she was careful with. Her legs swung over the edge of her bed and left the room. Asuka shuffled down their squeaky stairs, right into the kitchen where her little girl took care of breakfast.

She plopped down into her aluminum chair, "What's on the menu?" Asuka watched her daughter intently from her seat while Kasumi cooked.

Kasumi finished stirring the pourage, then revealed to her mother the priority meal of the day, "MRE oatmeal rations with goat milk." She reached for the nearest utensil cabinet, her fingers pitter-pattered all their knives, peelers, and graters until she found the sporks. Kasumi took two; one for mama and another for herself.

She trailed another set of cabinets until she found their plastic bowls, "Here ya go mama." Kasumi handed Asuka her morning meal, which she happily began consuming.

Kasumi set her own meal next to her mother, they ate in their usual, content silence, which, like most things, Asuka broke, "I'm conditioning the gladiators for the bi-annual, so I'll be out for the day."

Kasumi took a swig of goat milk, her tongue lapped the remaining cream off her lips, "Ok..." She tapped over the plastic cup, like fingers playing the piano, "Are you going to see dad?"

Her mother pushed herself away from the table, rising, her stern expression shattered the peaceful aura, "Yes."

Kasumi grew a slight smile, "Can I-"

"No..." Asuka walked towards the cloth's hamper, "He's not ready to met you."

She looked away from Asuka sadly, her eyes studied anything that would allow her mind to wander away, "When do you think I can."

Asuka pursed her lips, she tended to her plug-suit, whispering inaudibly, "I hope you never have to."

* * *

After her usual morning ritual, Asuka readied for the day. Her hand clasped the knob, this morning just had to suck didn't it? She mentally beat herself for causing her daughter emotional pain, especially in the morning. Her other hand clenched within the pocket of her hoodie, this isn't gonna be a good day for her.

She opened the door inside, before she left, she shouted into the house, "Kasumi, be careful if you go out today, love you!" No response, figures, she's still pissed at her. With a hearty sigh, she left her home and daughter.

Kasumi, from her bedroom, watched her mother leave for her conditioning. She always felt jealous of her mother's position within AUGE, training Eva pilots and such. It all seemed so... exciting and tantalizing, it nearly drove her mad.

She hooped up from her bed, a invigorating thought came with this. She _could_ be a pilot, Unit-21 was the only way she would ever be able to pilot. Inside her faulted heart, she felt that if she could do this, she could be closer to father. To take up his mantle as the next great Evangelion pilot!

Kasumi darted towards her dresser, quickly grabbing a pair of pants, her favorite hoodie, and the inhaler. With haste, she dawned her preferred clothing and left the house. By the end of her little "prep" she felt her lungs lacking again. She pulled her inhaler out and took a quick puff.

Ready for her venture, she began the journey of her life.

* * *

The towering skylines of Tianjin-4 split the teetering sunset. Between the steel and oxygen, a pair of figures could be distinguished between the two. Each wore a robe which hid their flesh from light, the glow of their eyes narrowed at the filth below them.

"Brother," the shorter one of the two asked, "are you ready for trial."

The brutish stature of the one next to it began, "Yes, sister."

The female breathed calmly, her armored, bony hand flexed then relaxed. Her glowing eyes turned to her brother, "May he be with you."

She sunk into the shadows, leaving him to his test. He paused, recollecting his thoughts then he raised both hands. Their natural, bone-like armor covered both of them, a small slit opened in each of his hand's carpus, where two small spheres appeared from the slits.

The small dock next to him could provide him a great steed and army. He began the construction of God's fallen army. "My tool be reborn, my god's instrument revive, our rapture rise." His hands moved towards his hood, it fell away, his veil uncovered.

The thick white carapace covered his head completely, creating a demonic helm where two flat horns erected from the brow of his armor, his two eye sockets glew bright blue. The smooth plate covering his expression didn't change as he grinned, "May god be with us."

* * *

Asuka strolled into the entrance of the techno-lingo halls in AUGE HQ, her arrival didn't go by unnoticed. A teenage girl, about Kasumi's age, with dirty-blonde hair and pale blue eyes walked up to her with a clipboard in hand, "Hello Ma'am!" She waved towards her, she'd wore this blue dress for her captain to notice.

The red clad trainer smiled, "Hey Hana, how're the pilots?"

Hanako, smiling, glanced down at her clipboard with disinterest; starting from the very top, " 'Samurai Boy' is training, 'Because' is in the firing range, 'Inferiority Complex' is on break, and the 'Mute' is somewhere doing whatever, don't know where or what though. "

Asuka sighed, "You really need to refer to them by their actual names."

Hanako shrugged, "Well lets get started!"

* * *

Within a long, cyber-wired corridor, another pilot readied himself. He took aim with a antique Barrett rifle, center the target, fire. The shot echoed in the hall, he scanned his target for damage. Headshot. He tapped a button, the piece of paper flew towards him, he nodded, satisfied with the accuracy.

The door opened, he quickly turned towards the only entrance to the room. Asuka walked in and greeted him with a warm smile, "Hey Hei."

He nodded, setting his rifle down, "Ma'am." His unnatural amber-scarlet eyes trailed his CO's every move, he also noticed Hanako peeking behind the door frame, "Pilot Fujinami?"

She cleared her throat and walked in, she stood next to Asuka happily, "Yes Hei?"

He ignored her, his attention returned to Asuka, "Any orders ma'am."

Asuka huffed, she tapped her foot and her one good eye beamed at him, "No but, why did you start firing practice without us?"

Hei stared, through his black bangs, at her for a moment, which made Hanako slightly agitated. He finally replied with a mantra of his, "Because."

* * *

He lowered his blade vertical to his face, the steel samurai sword parted his features, the left blue, the right green. He took a swift breath, then brought the cutting edge down unto thin air. He recited the same verse, "My body is the extension," while he thrusted the blade about.

Within his muse, he failed to notice the door to the left open. Asuka walked in, she noticed him training and stood idly by while he finished his cycle. When he turned to grab his water-bottle, he stood face-to-face with her.

A little shocked at first, he quickly recovered, "Conditioning sir?"

She nodded and threw him a towel, "Be ready in ten." She walked out, where Hanako continued to shadow her.

He let out a sigh once she left, "Damn it, I've been doing this for hours, gah." He whipped the white towel across his sweat-riddled wife-beater and wiped his brown hair, "Oh well, orders are orders."

* * *

A girl stood aside a window and watched the birds, how she wished to join them. One Blue Jay caught her crimson eyes, its hue, blae, reminded her of her own greyish-blue hair. She felt another presence join her but, she continued watching them, the birds. Whoever it was, they came closer until it came into contact with her.

She turned to her commanding officer, "Captain Soryu."

Asuka leaned against the rails nonchalantly, "Pilot Akiyama, ready for sync?"

She kept her mind away from Asuka's words, she followed the birds with her eyes, "Yes, I am."

* * *

He reached for his fork, long, third-degree burns tattooed his left hand. For this reason he hated being left handed, he always saw this beastly mark of hate that blemished his body, he really did hate it and himself. He took the fork to his meal, a corn mash, with a side of artificial cod.

Another pilot, who split with Asuka to get him, took a seat next to him, the new pilot of Eva Unit-28, "You ok Marcus?"

He looked over and into a pair of pale blue eyes with his ocean green. With a quick shake of his dark-brown hair, he smiled faux-happily, "Yea, conditioning I guess?" She nodded. "Alright, I'll be there in no time."

* * *

Kasumi finally found Unit-21, still resting within its alley-grave encased in that pink stuff. She walked underneath the flashing sign, encountering that man again. He turned towards her, the sunlight flared of his glasses, "Back again?"

She nodded, "Yea, you still have that offer?" she pointed towards the colossal ivory being that sentineled over them.

His brow arched, then he shrugged, "Sure, what's your size?"

"Ehh?!"

He blinked rather harshly, "Nevermind, plugsuits have default body-types." The man shuffled through his stand, after a period of curses and slander, he found his objective, "Here."

He handed her a bright red and white suit, the top, securing piece was a bright burgundy breastplate. The bottom, white with red ribbing. She looked at him suspiciously, he sighed, "I'm not a pedophile. It's standard issue, I didn't design it."

"Sure," She took the material underneath her arm and headed towards a changing boothe. She stripped down into her birth-ware, she noticed when she pulled the suit over her exposed form that it slacked, "Hey what's up with the suit?"

He heard her cry from the other side, "Press the left wrist buttons. That'll do." He listened for a second, then a zipping sound came from the boothe. "Eeek!" He smirked, hehe he's still got it.

In the boothe, Kasumi struggled with the material that squeezed some, "proportions" of her body roughly, "How the hell can I loosen this! Christ, I can't breath!"

He raised his voice again, "Press the first button." This was followed by another eek, "The one on the left!"

The skin-tight suit loosened when the right button found pressure, she breathed normally again, she felt like she'd need a boost of her inhaler in a bit. Kasumi walked out with her newly fitted plugsuit, "Does this thing get any less revealing?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, are you going to pilot or am I going to have to sit here all day?"

Kasumi turned over towards the Eva that waited for her, "Yea, fill'er up."

* * *

Asuka watched over the five pilots syncing below her, to her surprise, Hei and Kaba's sync had increased in even intervals since their last session. Hanako was improving gradually, Oliver the same. However; Marcus seemed to have issues with Velocity, his unit. She moved towards the intercom, "Nice work today guys, hit the showers."

She walked over towards the techno-babble bridge bunnies chatting amongst themselves, "Any news?"

One, who sat near a computer, typed the results up quickly, "Um, pilot increase stats average around, eh," he checked the readings again but, another window appeared, "Ma'am, you might want to see this."

Asuka scooted over towards the screen, "What's this?"

He shrugged and typed a few more commands into their supercomputers, "The Hypostases are triangulating the signatures towards a bay in Tianjin Dock-17." Another screen appeared, "Yιού's giving the signature a... what's a orange blood-type?"

He turned but, the captain was gone, "Ma'am?"

She'd ran, her finger trailed up to her ear piece, "Akagi!"

An older woman's voice came through, "Yes Asuka?"

She ran into AUGE's central broadcasting station, "Get me a visual on Dock-17 stat!" She waited, the feed appeared. Nothing out of the ordinary, "Wait," she pointed towards a building, "Zoom in on that one, there."

It magnified, standing on the edge was a man. "What the hell?"

* * *

It was time. Rapture of all living beings, the ones created from Adam and Lilith shall return to their creator, their god. This was the end of his holy journey, he must be strong for the others. He reached the edge of the building, his white armor gleamed in the sunlight, his glowing, electric-blue irises closed.

And he jumped.

* * *

Everyone within the broadcasting center gasped in horror, the man jumped. His body accelerated towards the bay's LCL filled water, at his jumping height, no human could survive.

A few of the squeamish technicians covered their eyes, a loud splash confirmed it, even without their sight. Asuka sighed, "False alarm people sorry."

It wasn't, the LCL bay began to bubble. Fleshy mounds formed in the contaminated docks, a few gasp made Asuka turn towards them, "What's-" She stopped, from the LCL a beast rose from it. The disorganised, heaps of meat mended together with a glowing blue titan. It wrapped around the non-physical body of the giant, giving it form.

First the legs, which floated. Then the arms and torso and finally the single horned head. The chest epidermis pulsated, it release the core, a scarlet red sphere jettisoned from the breast of the beast.

Asuka watched it ascend into the sky, they're back? "Launch all Evangelions NOW!"

* * *

Kasumi sat comfortably within the command couch of Unit-21's entry plug. She gripped the yolks tightly, "Ready."

"Alright, injecting LCL." The cabin began filling with the coppery liquid, it rose to her chin in a matter of seconds. She took a quick drag of it into her lungs.

"Gah, this stuff taste awful." Well she didn't have to worry about her inhaler, since the LCL helps a little, "Let's go."

The man readied the sequence, "Good luck." He activated Unit-21, the eyes zapped to life. The core hummed, the violet pieces of armor glowed, "Primary connections good Kasumi, keep it up. Try to move your arm."

Kasumi nodded, she imagined her arm moving. Outside, Unit-21's joints struggled against the pink coffin, "Come on. A little more." She kept concentrating, finally the cocoon broke. Unit-21's arm reached out from the encasement, leaving it's shoulder pylon behind. "I did it!"

Well there goes his cash cow, "Excellent, sync holding at thirty-nine point seven percent. Try breaking the bakelite."

She nodded and pushed away from it, Unit-21 and all of its forty meters raised into the alley. "Oh my god, this is so cool! I can see the settlement from here!" Unit-21's four eyes scanned the terrain around Kasumi, "What now?"

The man below scratched his head, "Uh, I don't know. Just do something I'm sure AUGE will notice it."

* * *

A few hours after Unit-21's maiden flight, there still wasn't any activity from AUGE, "Grr." Kasumi searched the channels again, "Hello?" Silence followed, she groaned, "God, where are they." Well things work in mysterious ways, from the east, a mass of grey crashed next to her.

An Eva? Next to her was a ash-grey Evangelion with orange highlights, its head had one horn ejecting from the left side of its head. The horn's base continued towards the eye, where it covered the optic.

It raised its arm with a massive sniper in its hold, the unit fired twice at something, perhaps it's far away? Kasumi ran over towards it, "You alright?"

The comms opened up, the window filled with a teenage boy's face, he had really weird eyes, a really dark orange with little specks of red. His plugsuit was colored weirdly too, a orange top with grey ribbings. However, a long, red dragon decal wrapped around his right bicep, "A civilian?"

Kasumi grunted, "Yeah, you need help or not?" He took a second, then nodded, "So why where you tossed like that?"

"Because."

She asked him questionably, "Because what?"

"Because, we have a objective."

* * *

Through the downtown district of Tianjin, war broke out. The streets filled with the thundering footsteps of four Evangelion Units, a green, blue, red, and purple one. The blue one leaned into a building, motioning to the purple to move up. Their target, a technical "UFO".

The blue titan peeked its head, which seemed to have its mouth gagged with a tube, and conducted recon of the area ahead of them, "Target acquired."

It rose the enormous Styr-31 Pallet Rifle, taking aim. The purple one, with two large eyes and a rather basic helm, followed her moves, "Pilot Fujinami, are you positive we will not have another casualty?"

The blue one turned, "Yes I'm positive Akiyama," She turned towards the others, "Oliver, Kuznetsov, get ready."

Thomas responded from Warrior about a mile away from them, its twin-frill head turned away, "Yes sir," Marcus kept quiet, and pulled his Prog-blade from his shoulder fin. Both Warrior and Velocity's blades were still compact, the blade ends still folded over the handle, Hanako replied from her Unit, Patchwork, "On my mark; Three; Two; One... Mark!"

Patchwork and Standard, Kaba's Unit, leaned out of cover and fired a volley of seventy-two centimeter armor piercing rounds. Marcus and Thomas leaped over the buildings and charged the sand-colored monster. The rounds shattered against, is that a A.T. Field?! "What the hell is that thing doing with a A.T. Field?!"

Thomas continued vaulting the various building, "Chill Marcus! We can neutralize it, do it just like the Evangelion fights!"

That didn't help him at all, "Gah! This is bullshit!"

"Get frosty target 2 kilometers and closing!"

Hanako switched to their channel while reloading her rifle. "Hurry the fuck up guys, we're running out of ammo here!" Kaba continued suppressing fire on the objective.

Hanako turned her Eva's upper torso back into the alley and fired again, "Kaba how much ya got?!" Standard's head turned towards her, "None."

Hanako's eyes widened, "You've gotta be shitting me..." Weren't they suppose to receive positron weaponry from Canada two weeks ago?! That'd be convenient with their positron engines, "How's everyone's cool-down?"

Thomas checked the gauge next to his left yolk, "One hundred and fifty-two heat units consumed!"

Marcus fumbled with his own, "One seventy heat units consumed!"

Hanako peeked out of cover again, this was her last mag, "Make it count guys!" She launched from her cover and charged, hip firing its A.T. Field. Click. Oh~ shit. Patchwork grabbed onto the nearest building and yanked itself back into cover.

She began hyperventilating, her eyes caught Standard starting a advance towards her, "Kaba! Stay back! That's an order!" She stopped, then slid into cover reluctantly. Hanako cautiously poked her Eva's eyes from cover, they met a familiar tan epidermis. She looked up, her objective was unfortunately right on top of her. Well she didn't think it would end like this, "Sorry guys."

The beast rose its arm to inevitably destroy her machine and her, she swore that her eyes could see a unmistakable hate in the monster's. There was a pause, it felt to them like time had just stopped, then she heard godsend, a whizzing round.

It contacted the monster's arm, amputating it. A mess of gore and blood splattered onto the streets below, "Center the target, fire." The round hit the lower jaw, which dangled from what flesh remained, the beast screamed in agony.

Hanako couldn't believe her eyes, "Hei?" His window appeared next to her, "Why the hell didn't you contact us?!"

Hei checked his other company through his scope, "Because."

Hanako slapped her head, "Oh my god, Hei for once can you give me a straight answer?!"

"Unit-21 has reactivated."

Another pause, from Kasumi's charging position another screen appeared next to her, "Young Lady! You get out of that Eva now!"

Kasumi smiled stupidly, "Sorry you're breaking up mom, kssh, I can't, kssh-"

"Kasumi!"

"Sorry gotta go," Kasumi continued her charge, she could feel Gunner's rifle fire again and again. She finally found the kaiju, its field now raised against Gunner's barrage. She moved closer, "Wow this thing's ugly." Without the beast noticing, she slowly creeped up behind it and placed it into a choke-hold. "Yeah! Whatcha got?!"

Quite a bit apparently, it shoved both elbows into her abdomen. Unit-21 crumpled in pain, Kasumi felt her lungs burning, she did what no Evangelion pilot should ever do, she threw up the LCL. She felt immediately better than before but that wouldn't last, the monster shoved its floating peg leg into Unit-21's jaw.

Gunner stopped firing, he couldn't get a clear shot. Kasumi began struggling against the beast arm gripping her own. She moved her other hands around its trachea and yanked viciously. The hand locked with hers left, it wrapped around Unit-21's forearm. With a twist of its wrist it snapped all the bones within that area.

Kasumi felt her thought process cease, where the overflowing pain began poring through her mind, she screamed. She weakly looked up towards the beast, her vision became blurry, she couldn't feel her lungs moving anymore. The kaijin rose its remaining arm for the kill.

She closed her eyes and waited her fate.

* * *

Arousal

* * *

It brought down its arm. It looked into the inactive eyes of Unit-21. Such lifeless eyes shouldn't exist for a being like this, an imperfect clone of gods. It could almost feel the cool metal texture of Unit-21 but, it wasn't to be.

_It_ woke.

The lifeless opticals of Unit-21 now burned with hatred. Die. It punched skyward, its fist met the monster's. In a shower of tendons and bone, Unit-21 dug its arm right through the other's arm. It grabbed the most convenient weapon, the humerus.

Unit-21 dragged the bone out of the other's flesh, the scapula and clavicle still attached to it by joints. Using the bones much like an axe, it swung the them into the neck of the kaiju. Unit-21 retrieved the bone weapon and pushed the monster to the ground, it began beating it against the core. In a desperate act, the monsters flesh wrapped around Unit-21, its very core began to bubble unstably.

In a flash of light, a cross-flare, it all ended. Silence reigned over the downtown district, a large portion of it destroyed by the blast. The five units stood above the hell below them, "Holy shit." Hanako blinked a few times in disbelief.

"We need to go," she slid down the hill, into the city, "this isn't search and destroy anymore guys, its rescue."

They followed, they all stayed within a pack. Never allowing themselves to blink, it didn't take long, "Hey guys! Look!" Velocity pointed towards a obliterated district.

Unit-21, covered in LCL, sat on its knees, its eyes watching the stars. Its arms drooped to its sides, blissfully ignoring the approaching Units. They closed in, Hei took a step forward. The two pairs of ungodly eyes narrowed, it turned towards him. He stopped and actually felt scared of this... "thing".

Unit-21 watched him for a few more moments before returning to the skies... and the beautiful stars.

* * *

Preview to the next Chapter Mourning.

She walked along the crimson stained streets, all the workers and civilians seemed to ignore her. Her robes around her, covering her. She strolled past a few soldiers unseen, she kept walking until she reached ground zero. She kneeled down and placed her hand into a puddle of LCL. She lifted a piece of bone, a face plate, from it, "Brother..."

She looked at it, a orange liquid dripped from her glowing red eyes, they trailed down her own plate like tears, her eyes, now flowing with the strange tears, looked up to her ivory god, Unit-21, "This is your will isn't it?

* * *

**It has begun! The biannual Evangelion Tourney is coming! The children collect towards Tianjin-4! But who are they?**

**We need pilots! If you make one, and if it's good enough, we'll add him/her to the story! To reach the Pilot Creation Sheet see here _www dot fanfiction dot net/topic/130733/83809292/1/_**

** For all of you who are new to my stories, I reply to any and all PMs or Reviews, so fire away! 8D**


	3. Mourning

**[This is a Community Project, for more Info read the Author's note at the bottom!]**

* * *

**II: Mourning**

* * *

Twelve hours before Kasumi's recovery.

She walked along the crimson stained streets, all the workers and civilians seemed to ignore her. Her robes around her, covering her. She strolled past a few soldiers unseen, she kept walking until she reached ground zero. She kneeled down and placed her hand into a puddle of LCL. She lifted a piece of bone, a face plate, from it, "Brother..."

She looked at it, an orange liquid dripped from her glowing red eyes, they trailed down her own plate like tears. Her eyes, now flowing with the strange tears, looked up to her ivory god, Unit-21, "This is your will isn't it?"

The baptized Evangelion's inactive eyes were covered by a cloth but, it gazed at the cool-night sky nevertheless. Its source of light, the stars. Which knighted the bio-mech in a holy light. She sat in a pool of her kin's blood, staring at this... her god. The beauty enamored her, its smooth plating, its color, white. Everything about it made her core swell, "It is..."

She rose, still holding the plate, "It is your will..." Her eyes narrowed, "I will bring salvation to all!"

* * *

Five hours earlier.

Several armed men took aim on a platform anchoring the beast into a stable position. A few scientist poked and prodded at the entry port until it ejected. A unsuspecting soldier accidentally shot in the air, startled by the jettison, "Shit! Sorry guys!"

After a tense air of silence, the scientist took plasma cutters and began the pilot's liberation. After a tedious amount of slicing, they breached the entrance of Unit-21. Inside a girl in a white and red plugsuit sat in her couch. The LCL still within the plug reached to her thigh. Her hair drooped down to her shoulders, she didn't open her eyes.

One of the scientist rushed in. Moving fralish, the scientist placed two fingers against her neck, a pulse. The scientist whipped towards the entrance, "She's alive! Get the medics!" The scientist's transparent, blue visor watched the girl with her aged, jade eyes, "You're ok Kasumi, you're ok...!"

* * *

Present.

Ammonia, rubbing alcohol, ugg old people. Kasumi knew where she was, "Fricken hospitals." She opened her eyes carefully, the light blinded her momentarily. She shielded them until her pupils adjusted.

She tried moving her left arm, but it didn't obey. Her eyes traveled downwards, oh that makes sense. Asuka was holding her arm, pinning it to her medical bed.

Kasumi gingerly poked her mother's scared arm. The blemish itself carved all the way from the space of her knuckles, to the middle of her bicep. From her daughter's rouse, Asuka woke. For a moment she was angry that someone had the balls to wake her but, when she saw Kasumi that thought flew out the window.

Grabbing her daughter tightly, she began, "You dummy..." She pulled her offspring even closer, "You know what I'd done if you didn't make it."

Kasumi returned her embrace equally, "You would've killed me, I know."

A long, kinda awkward, silence ensued until Asuka broke away. Taking a deep breath, she started her assault, "Why the hell were you in a Evangelion! I told you that they're dangerous!"

Kasumi thoughts immediately became interested in the ceilings cracks and dents, "... I..." she stopped, "...I guess I wanted to be like... him."

Asuka eyed her daughter in disbelief, she knew now the stories she told her way back when were backfiring now. Dragging another lungful of air into her, she sighed, "Honey, you don't have to prove anything, just be yourself."

Kasumi's cheeks flared, "How am I suppose to be myself when I don't know who I am?!"

Asuka's classical anger shown in her next statement, "You're my daughter! And that's all that matters to me! Don't think just because you reactivated an Eva with a ONI complex that you're the shit!"

What the hell is a ONI complex? Regardless, Kasumi continued, "It felt good! It felt natural! I love piloting _that _Evangelion, it made me happy!"

Asuka, not wanting to lose a verbal war, started with another bombardment when the steel shoji into the room slid open. A elderly, mid forties Akagi walked into the room. Kasumi saw her and nearly leaped from her bed.

"Nanna Rits!"

Ritsuko smiled warmly, "Hello deary," she swiveled towards Asuka, "I heard your 'discussion' so I wanted to intervene."

Kasumi happily gleamed her, "How've you been?"

She returned to Kasumi, "Good, you're lucky that you didn't die young lady."

Asuka, still fuming, asked, "Why are you here? I said only to enter-"

Ritsuko interrupted, "Well that's why I came in, I need to talk." She waved for her to follow.

Asuka rose from her chair, "We're not finished ok?" She leaned down and peeked her daughter's forehead, then left the room. She entered AUGE's medical ward.

She found Ritsuko leaning against a medical table, Asuka huffed, "Well, what is it?"

Rits took a folder and dusted the AUGE logo (a pyramid with an eye looking upon it.) "Look at this."

Asuka retrieved the folder and ripped into it, "X-rays?" Ritsuko nodded, so she continued, "...This is-"

"Her heart? Yes."

Asuka digested the picture with her one eye constantly, "But... the VSD... it's gone." The hole between the upper and lower chambers of Kasumi's heart had disappeared. "How..."

"That's not all."

Asuka's eye widened, then trailed the pictures, "...Oh my god..."

Ritsuko smiled, "I had the same reaction. Isn't it wonderful? The radiation is gone, the leukemia too. It's a miracle."

Asuka's back slammed into the wall, she held the file close to her. She began crying, she's going to be ok, her little girl's gonna be ok.

Ritsuko walked next to her and wrapped her arm around Asuka's shoulder, "I looked into Unit-21's biolog, it seems to've regenerated missing or infected tissue. So you have it to thank."

Unit-21... Asuka whipped her tears away, "How'd it do it?"

Ritsuko shrugged, "Well, to heal a Lilim is rudimentary with a S² Organ."

* * *

Hospital room 012.

Kasumi blankly stared at the ceiling above her, thinking, "This feels weird..." She inspected the room, a end table next to her, a TV in the upper right-hand corner, and a few scattered seats. She removed her blanket and began to remove her IVs.

The steel shoji reopened, it frightened her temporarily. Asuka walked in, still processing Ritsuko's advice. Kasumi tumbled into the floor before Asuka, looking up nervously, "Hey mama..."

Asuka sighed and reached into her hoodie pocket, she pulled her red beret out. While she placed it on, she asked, "Do you feel good enough to leave?"

Kasumi nodded cautiously, "Well," her mother began, "you're Unit-21's designated pilot now."

"Really?! No way! Why the change of heart?"

Asuka growled lowly, "You're a pilot but, you aren't participating in any event. So I don't want a single nerve in your brain to think about it!"

Kasumi pouted and didn't reply. Asuka walked over towards the end table, "Here." From the drawer, she threw Kasumi a set of clothing, Asuka walked towards the entrance, then stopped, "Be ready in five."

She left her daughter inside there, alone. Kasumi studied the plastic baggy curiously, "Well, I'm a pilot now." Another, more agonizing thought came to mind, "God, I hope I don't have to deal with _her._"

* * *

Eva Cages.

After a quick change, Kasumi found herself behind her mother, walking into a large cage. Inside, Kasumi's beast waited, "Kasumi," Asuka flipped a switch, "This is your unit Evangelion Unit-21."

Kasumi gasped, "What happened?!" Her machine reeked of blood, its finish confirmed the smell, "Why is it red?"

Asuka looked into Unit-21's four, hollow eyes, "The being that you bull-rushed got torn to pieces by your Unit. All the red is what remains of it."

Kasumi gawked at Unit-21's helm, the LCL raced down the twenty some thousand layers of armor plating like tears, "...It protected me." She smiled and place her hand against the Unit's bloody cheek, staining her own hand. She held it there, a reward for its service.

Asuka tenderly observed them, after Kasumi retracted her hand, she walked over to her. Asuka then stood shoulder -to-shoulder with her, "There's something else you need to know. It's that-"

"Captain!"

That voice, oh god... Kasumi tensed every footstep that her "Sis" took until she stopped behind her, "Hey Kasumi!"

Kasumi weakly smiled, "Hey Hanako."

Hanako pursed her lip, "Are you alright sis?"

"From what?"

Hanako jabbed her finger towards Unit-21, "That."

"Oh," Kasumi shrugged, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Her self proclaimed kin smiled widely, "Aren't you excited?!"

Kasumi recoiled slightly, "For what?"

"Didn't Captain Soryu inform you?"

Said officer snickered quietly while her daughter turned towards her in pity, "I call it syncronization, Kasumi. Me and your father did it, if we can survive it then you can too."

Kasumi felt like crying, "So Hanako's going to be living with us? ...Again?"

"No." Thank god Kasumi thought, her mother broke that sweet bliss, "All the pilots are going to live with us."

"Eh!?"

To both Asuka and Kasumi's surprise, Hanako joined in unison with Kasumi. She cleared her throat, saying, "I'll get the pilots ready..." She walked away, her shoulders hanging at her sides.

Once she left, Asuka returned to Kasumi, "Well, I'll give you a rundown of the facility."

* * *

Around noon.

Kasumi threw herself onto a couch, exhausted from her mother's "walkthrough" of AUGE. Now she waited for the enviable, the others arriving. She tended her temples, sighing heavily.

It came. Their doorbell rang once, Kasumi groaned, "Already?"

She rolled of her davenport and walked towards the entrance. With regret, she opened it, "He~y sis!" Hanako barged in, her arms empty of her baggage. She seemed to have reignited her excitement for returning home. The remaining pilots walked in single-file.

Hei walked in with his AUGE windbreaker and plugsuit on, he took note of the living room where he most likely would sleep. Marcus calmly walked forward, holding his bag carefully. Not a very big room, he hopes the rest of the complex can house them. Thomas struggled through the door with Hanako's "toiletries" and walked back out to get his sack.

And Kaba, she walked in... her eyes. Unit-14's pilot froze, she'd caught Kasumi's irises. A dull, steel blue... just like the Jay's feathers... Kasumi felt awkward from Kaba staring into her, she's use to guys eying her but, this felt... different.

Kasumi waved her hand around her face, this broke Kaba's hypnotism. She returned into her placid state, "I am sorry." She walked away calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Kasumi, slightly disturbed, left the pilots in the living area and searched for her mother. "Mama!" She climbed a flight of stairs and found her shaving her legs in the bathroom, "The pilots are here."

"Ok, I'll be down there in a sec."

A few minutes of limbotic silence and Asuka finally came down into the ground floor. All the pilots, including her own daughter, sat on the floor, couch, or love seats. She plopped into a chair and sat there. Hanako drummed her fingers against the couch until she couldn't resist, "So... what now."

Asuka shrugged, "Well, I think we should assign sleeping quarters."

Hanako immediately volunteered, "I'll sleep in your room!"

Asuka nodded, "Alright. Hei?"

"Yes?"

"Where would you like to sleep?"

His eyes lazily drifted around the room, "I will sleep here."

"Why? There isn't any air conditioning down here. It'll get hot tonight."

"Because."

Asuka growled, "Well 'because' you said that you'll sleep in our room too."

Hanako pouted, while Hei rolled his eyes, "Fine."

Asuka turned towards Thomas, "You wouldn't mind sharing a room with Marcus and Kaba?"

"No ma'am."

"Well then," Asuka stood, "I think me and Kasumi will start fixin' din."

* * *

Thirty minutes later.

Asuka stood alone in the kitchen with Kasumi next to her, peeling a few potatoes. She started to steam the rice, when Kasumi asked.

"You brought them here to punish me didn't you."

Nonchalantly, Asuka nodded, "In a way, yeah. But really, you need to let other people into your comfort zone."

Kasumi's peeled potatoes now were being diced by her, "I did that once already! When you brought Hanako back from Poland I thought it'd be cool to have a surrogate sister."

"You guys got along fine."

Kasumi huffed, "Yeah when I was ignoring her."

Asuka kept silent at that, thinking, "Well she's more like me than Kasumi." The rice finished and Asuka reached for her ceramic plates, "Well, can those potatoes and we'll eat."

Kasumi silently followed her mother's orders, quickly jarring them. Asuka, as she canned them, told her to tell everyone else dinner was ready. Once again, she did as she was told and walked up the stairs.

She walked into her mother's room where Hei and Hanako had finished unpacking. Hei noticed her without hesitation, asking, "Pilot Ikari?"

By the time he asked, Hanako finally saw her. Kasumi bobbed her head towards the hallway, "Yeah, din's ready."

Both pilots walked past her. As they went down, she searched for the other pilots. She found them in the last room down the hallway. Kasumi peeked in, "You guys hungry?"

In the room Kaba held her knees close to her chin, thinking about earlier. Her muse was broken as Kasumi peeked in, at which point Kaba gave all of her attention to her. Marcus was laying on a futon until she came in, "Yea where hungry."

Kaba swung her legs out of the bed and began walking towards the door until Kasumi asked, "Where's Tom?"

Kaba looked around but Marcus meekly pointed his index towards the other cot, where Thomas watched an really ancient anime about samurais on his netbook. Kasumi walked over and gently pulled his earplugs out, "Hey! What the f- oh," He recovered quickly, "Sorry ma'am, just in the' zone."

"It's fine."

A few minutes of shuffling seats and table adjustments ended when all seven pilots and Asuka sat at the extended tabletop. Seven rice bowls for all, each holding a hefty amount of plain white rice. Everyone dug into their meal except Thomas, who clapped his hands together, silently whispering.

Kasumi stopped mid-shovel in woe at what he was doing, "What are you doing?"

He ignored her, "...amen." Thomas then replied, "Saying grace."

Asuka grunted, "I told you that crap's useless, Tom."

Kasumi, being naturally curious, asked, "Why?"

The glare was immediate, in the kitchen, the sound of a grain dropping could be heard. Asuka breathed calmly, "The Angel Wars weren't exactly kind to me Kasumi." She rolled her right hand's sleeve down, "And the only damn thing 'God' has ever done for me is give me this." Her index pointed harshly towards the long scar, "The only thing I would ever consider a gift from anyone was your father's gift, you."

Kasumi flexed her hand, a technique her mother taught her. The rest of the meal was silent, no one even made eye contact. The night's gonna be rough...

* * *

Around nine at the Soryu residence.

Settling into their beds, all the Eva pilots restlessly slept in their beds except Hei, who'd taken it upon himself to rest in a chair. In Kasumi's personal room she silently stared at her ceiling, thinking, "So alien, yet so familiar."

In the cramp, sweltering room inhabited by three pilots, Kaba traced her finger over the area between her breast's bra, her heart. It'd swollen from her meeting that girl, Kasumi. Her eyes were so... beautiful. They reminded her of freedom, freedom from Eva, freedom from AUGE, freedom from all earthly bonds. The color of a Jay's feather, cobalt blue.

For the first time in her short life she seeked advice, "Pilot Kuznetsov..."

From the bed across from her, Marcus whimpered, "What'd ya want Kaba."

Momentarily, she didn't know how to start, "...What do you think of Ikari..."

"Kasumi?"

"Yes."

He shrugged, "Well she showed us, all in her first flight too. I kinda made me feel... well, for a lack of a better term, worthless. Here I was unable to do anything to help her, she shouldn't 'ave to do that. I should've." Marcus smirked, "I... admire her in that aspect."

Kaba looked away, "I see... What of Pilot Oliver?"

Thomas groaned, "Tryin' to sleep Kaba, tryin' to sleep."

In Asuka's room Hanako dreamt happily with her huddling up against Asuka, her adopted mother. Her dream was of their first meeting when she was but a scavenging beggar. Asuka gave her her nickname, "Little Genius" after she outsmarted Asuka in an argument over her purse, which Hanako had snatched.

Asuka herself slept peacefully, unlike the previous nights. Hei, still sleeping in his chair, snored faintly. Creak. Military conditioning, he immediately whipped out his personal USP Tac. 45, his amber eyes scanned the room. A shadow, the balcony.

Hei quietly walked towards the sliding glass doors and opened it. Nothing. He spun around in circles, how had he mistaken that? Maybe the indoctrination was decaying his mind, who knows.

Reluctantly, he left the porch. He reasoned that he was becoming defective, and should console Akagi for mental recalibration. Hopefully that will fix it, if not then... He stopped thinking that.

* * *

Pitch black darkness... "Tauros, Identification Ritsuko Akagi." Two red eyes appeared, then slid into the earth. The guardian of the Seventh circle retreated into the earth to rest while the harpy tended to the rings.

Dr. Akagi walked forward, a box and files under each arm. She continued walking the sandy beach until she met the LCL, where a Zodiac waited for her. She climbed into it, igniting the engine. As the small vessel skimmed over the soupy surface, enormous, bony extrusions stuck out from the water.

The countless failed Evangelions laid in their preserving tombs. Each slightly different from the last. Once Akagi reached the next beach, the second ring, she checked AUGE's conduits.

The Mass Production Evangelions. Each still within their fixated, crucifix pose, their heads missing. What remained of the petrified armor would soon rust away in time. The only difference now is that they were being fed LCL, this gradually regenerated their cores for use.

After careful inspection, she left the second ring. Still connected by land, she passed into the third ring. The Containment ring, as she neared the center, Akagi noticed something odd, "Hmm, the A-L prototype seems to've begin to decay."

The "A-L Prototype" stood crucified on a cross as a lanky, feminine, white titan. The one place of decay Akagi spoke of was its arm, the left one. A chunk of flesh had fallen off slowly, dragging the tendons and muscles attached with it. Akagi took a mental note that they needed to supply... "her" with a better nutrient/protein wall.

"Nya, nya!"

Oh, someone's calling her. She reached into her pocket, "Well crap." She plugged her special VR-Sunglasses and took the call, "Akagi present."

Within her field of vision, she scanned the pyramids forming near her, the apexes bastardised at bottom instead of their natural position, the top.

One reverse pyramid named, Zonule, questioned Akagi in a distinct British accent, "How is A-L's decomposition rate since the previous meeting?"

"It's worst."

Macula, a voice thick with a African tongue asked, "Worse? We gave ya as much energy as we could! How could it be'h gettin' worse?"

"Now, now Macula," Retina, the head of their council, spoke on Akagi's behalf, "I'm sure Miss Akagi is doing her best, am I right?"

"Yes..."

Retina took her answer and began with the other members, "Fovea, Cornea, Sclera, Iris, any of you have anything to share?"

They replied in a odd unison, "No."

Retina remained quiet, "...Dr. Akagi, have you received Cornea's package?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Good... The council is adjourned for one hundred and sixty-eight hours."

Her feed ceased, "Well, that was sudden..." Akagi felt odd as she removed her glasses, she looked up, "I really dislike being here."

But then again, she thought, she does have the world at the balls now. "Those idiots," she quietly mocked, "they think they're gods among men, but 'my' AUGE control both gods. And we mustn't allow either of our 'enemies' rapture."

* * *

Preview to Chapter Three: Revival

Deep within AUGE, a body floated wistfully in its liquid prison. The soulless vessel would be completed soon.

The only entrance opened, the taps of heels filled the empty room. She walked up towards the body with a package still underneath her arm. She reached into her kitty pocket-protector and retrieved a box cutter knife.

Tenderly, she cut the box open, careful to not harm the contents. Once the tape and stuffing had been removed, she cautiously held a small red orb in her hand. Its size no more than a apple.

She leaned into her hand, whispering, "I'm sorry, but it's time."

The small red orb illuminated then flew out of her hand and smashed into the glass container. The warm, soupy liquid poured into the floor. The core she once held now hovered over its new home. Finally, it flawlessly entered the shell, giving it life.

It shuttered, then halted. The woman walked closer to it, "Are you feeling fine?"

She couldn't see its eyes behind its white bangs, it replied with his new body, "...Is this the twenty-fourth? Akagi?"

She put her hand on his shoulder, "...Yes Gabriel, I'm sorry."

She saw a single tear chase down his cheek, he lifted his head, flashing his bright crimson eyes, "What am I needed for...?"

* * *

**It has begun! The biannual Evangelion Tourney is coming! The children collect towards Tianjin-4! But who are they?**

**We need pilots! If you make one, and if it's good enough, we'll add him/her to the story! To reach the Pilot Creation Sheet see here _www dot fanfiction dot net/topic/130733/83809292/1/_**

**For all of you who are new to my stories, I reply to any and all PMs or Reviews, so fire away! 8D**


	4. Revival

**[This is a Community Project, for more Info read the Author's note at the bottom!]**

* * *

**III: Revival **

* * *

Deep within AUGE, a body floated wistfully in its liquid prison. The soulless vessel would be completed soon.

The only entrance opened, the taps of heels filled the empty room. She walked up towards the body with a package still underneath her arm. She reached into her kitty pocket-protector and retrieved a box cutter knife.

Tenderly, she cut the box open, careful to not harm the contents. Once the tape and stuffing had been removed, she cautiously held a small red orb in her hand. Its size no more than a apple.

She leaned into her hand, whispering, "I'm sorry, but it's time."

The small red orb illuminated then flew out of her hand and smashed into the glass container. The warm, soupy liquid poured into the floor. The core she once held now hovered over its new home. Finally, it flawlessly entered the shell, giving it life.

It shuttered, then halted. The woman walked closer to it, "Are you feeling fine?"

She couldn't see its eyes behind its white bangs, it replied with his new body, "...Is this the twenty-fourth? Akagi?"

She put her hand on his shoulder, "...Yes Gabriel, I'm sorry."

She saw a single tear chase down his cheek, he lifted his head, flashing his bright crimson eyes, "What am I needed for...?"

* * *

Soryu Residence, in the early morning.

Hanako murmured and clawed the bedsheets next to her, where did she go? With a two-thirds majority of her mind asleep, she army-crawled off the futon. She looked around the room and didn't see Hei, she opened the door, her nostrils filled with a heavenly aroma, "Umm~ Kasumi's cooking."

As if she were possessed, Hanako carefully navigated down the stairs and into the kitchen. The other pilots apparently had woken before her, which really didn't matter to her. Everyone sat at the same seat they had the night before, Hanako took her seat next to Asuka and waited for her meal.

Kasumi single handedly cooked, stirred, and grilled their breakfast, a seven inch long simulated, scrambled egg burritos. The contents; Goat-milk cheese, artificial ham, and Hanako's favorite: Kopytka potato dumplings... Oh yeah. _  
_

Kasumi place their plates down and slunk into her chair, "Breakfast... is served..." She leaned back into her chair and groaned, she needed sleep... bad.

The other pilots dug into their meal happily however, Kaba poked her shoulder, asking, "Is this purely artificial?"

Kasumi nodded, this gave Kaba the initiative to begin eating. Which she munched into the wondrous sitting, her thoughts were elsewhere. Well, more towards the hands that made it, than it itself. That girl's eyes, the one next to her, they are so beautiful, she can't help herself but to look at them.

Meanwhile, a little shit-storm was brewing. After living on MREs, rations, and an almost plastic paste AUGE dared to call "Bean soup", Hanako was practically groaning in pleasure at her surrogate sister's preparation. Thomas, who sat conveniently next to her, began to feel awkward. So he nonchalantly remarked, "You'd think she's getting a hard-on."

Well... "What the hell did you just say!?"

Shit! Thomas, hopefully she didn't notice, began sliding down his chair. Unfortunately, Hanako wasn't stupid and didn't have the attention span of a goldfish, "Hey! Where do you think you're goin'!"

"Um~, another room?"

Marcus quietly added, "You guys sound like a married couple."

Everyone began watching Hanako head-lock poor Thomas viciously. He said sorry again and again, each time Hanako's grip continued to increase. She didn't speak until his face was nearly blue, "Say Patchy is the best Eva!"

"Can't... breath...!"

"Say it!"

"...Patchy's... the... best." She released her grip, "Thank god!"

During all of this chaos, Asuka sipped her goat milk very delicately, ignoring most of their conversing. She smiled a little, a memory of the times with Misato, Pen-Pen, and... him. Just like this table, they sat together and participated in stupid small talk. She found enjoyment from being a matriarch of this little group.

Kasumi wanted to help Thomas when Hanako began strangling him but, Kaba told her in a hush voice, "They share resentment towards each other. She always displays her Evangelion as the best, but Patchwork as many issues."

Kasumi's head cocked sideways, which Kaba found... adorable? "What's wrong with it?"

Kaba cleared her throat, "It has... biological issues. The pilot gradually suffers from neural decay when activated."

"...Neural decay? That bad?"

She nodded, "That's how the last pilot was decommissioned, he became rampant and couldn't pilot any longer."

Kasumi turned and took a long, hard look at Hanako. She was digging into her burrito, demolishing her entire meal before her, there's no way Hanako was facing decay. She seemed "normal" to her, there's no way... Then again Kaba didn't seem like the one to exaggerate about things, especially serious problems like this.

Kasumi began hiding that thought away, then returned to her meal.

* * *

An hour or so after breakfast, Kasumi sat on her knees, picking a few onions from her and her mother's garden. The leeks could be a nice seasoning if they taste right, and oh god if they don't... Kasumi shuttered. She remembered a time where she ate one that had'nt ripened yet. Lets just say she tasted it for quite a while.

After she picked twenty or some odd amount of them, she placed each into a hand-woven basket. She felt her lungs burn a little, so she took a quick whiff of her inhaler. Kasumi, feeling relieved, grabbed the basket and headed towards the house.

When she entered and noticed Asuka speaking in her phone. "Yeah... Okay. When?" Static is all Kasumi heard, then her mother replied, "Alright, I can leave the pilots alone right?"

Kasumi placed her basket on top of their table, she noticed her mother pocketing her phone and asked, "Who's that?"

"Nanna, she says another wave of pilots are arriving in a little bit."

Kasumi pouted, "Are we gonna to have to take them in too?"

"No, they're to reside at AUGE."

Kasumi nodded, then Asuka added, "You wanna come?"

Her daughter sighed, "You'll force me to anyway..."

Asuka smiled, "Good, we're leavin' in five."

* * *

They had left their home, the two walked together to the nearest terminal station. Asuka took lead while Kasumi followed. After a good, exhausting trek for Kasumi, (and another revival puff) they both arrived at Tianjin-AP:4's tram.

They both clambered in and took seats away from everyone else. As the train began rolling, Asuka asked, "So, what do ya think about the pilots?"

"...Well," Kasumi trailed, "Hanako's... Hanako, that Marcus guy seems quite and reserved, Thomas is nice to me at least, Hei is... I don't really know, he hasn't spoke a single word to me."

Asuka hummed, "I think you forgot someone."

"...Oh, Kaba's ok. It's just that she stares at me."

Her mother began laughing uncontrollably, "My bad honey, genetics are amazing like that. She loves the color blue."

Kasumi narrowed her eyes, "Then why doesn't she stare at you?"

Asuka shrugged, "Eh, perhaps I'm not the right hue."

* * *

At the Soryu Residence.

"Ah-hah! Three of a kind!" Hanako slammed her poker hand onto the table top, revealing her three queens.

Hei took another look at his hand and laid it down as well, "Flush." He grinned, his two cards; a nine of spades and eight of spades. They filled the required space for the river.

Hanako practically slammed her head into the table, cursing beneath her breath. Kaba, who sat across from Hei, didn't move at all, she took her hand and placed it on the table, "...Royal straight flush."

From the living room, Thomas, even while he watched another anime, could hear Hanako stomp out of the kitchen. He felt the vibrations of her steps leading her towards the couch. A large thud confirmed that she'd jumped onto it. Thomas asked sarcastically, "You won?"

"Fuck you, Samurai-Boy."

On the balcony, Marcus quietly studied the city alone. The skyline that he watched was that of Tianjin, the warm air of this Asian city still felt alien towards him. The cold of Russia and Britain had nothing against the heat of this place.

Did he like the warmth of this place? He didn't know, all he knew was he didn't find comfort in it. Another muse came to mind, he needed to improve his sync with Velocity. He took a seat on the floor of Asuka's balcony and began clearing his mind.

* * *

Asuka and Kasumi walked out of the tram and into Tianjin Airport. Kasumi had never seen this place so, she took careful observations of all the outlets, restaurants, and street performers. One of which was swallowing a sword, "Holy crap! Mama do you see that?!"

Asuka replied, "Yeah, I saw it."

"Isn't that amazing?!"

She shrugged, "Yep, the first time I saw it. And afterwards, eh, I found it silly."

Kasumi saw more to her left, "Fire-eaters, Snake-charmers, Contortionist, Oh my god, mama look! They have little people too!"

Asuka cleared her throat, "Honey, those are normal people."

"...Oh."

Her mother kept walking until she stopped, Kasumi, confused as to why, asked, "Hey, something wrong?"

Asuka didn't move so, Kasumi looked towards her sight, "...Mama, just look away."

Kasumi noticed her eye twitch in anger, "...Ok." Asuka forced herself away from the dolls that the puppeteer used in his show, they reminded her of the one she once had. She concentrated on the pilots now, not stupid dolls.

Kasumi continued following her mother, until they reached Gate-74 where "they" waited for them. Asuka first spotted the "Brat". He stood out from the casual, brown-haired Chinese, his chartreuse-green eyes, the onyx black hair that covered his head. He wore a pair of denim pants and a black, vee-neck shirt. He also wore a undeniable smirk on his face. These features belonged to one pilot-

"Pilot Milan, are you ready?"

He slung his pack over his shoulder, replying, "Hell yeah, I'm gettin' tired of sitting around."

Kasumi waved towards him and he saw it, Milan scoffed, then continued following Asuka. Kasumi felt a little bit of anger well-up inside her, but she controlled herself.

Asuka searched around until they found another pilot, this one was a girl. Her elegant white dress covered most of her body, except her hands, which held a small, ornate book decorated with a lowercase t. She read the holy book with her pantone blue eyes, a few strains of her russet brown hair blocked her next verse so she moved it aside.

Asuka tapped her shoulder, "Hey, Linda."

The girl's head snapped up and she replied, "Oh! Guttentag Captain Soryu!"

Asuka smiled, "You ready to go?"

Linda nodded, and grabbed her book. Kasumi noticed it and asked, "Where is your baggage?"

The pilot smiled, replying, "Oh you must be Asuka's child, nice to meet you. Oh and to answer your question, I have all I need in here." She pointed at the book.

"Oh..." Kasumi felt confused by that, surely Linda couldn't survive on a book alone. Right?

Asuka sighed, "Where the hell could he be?"

She scanned the entire terminal until she had an epiphany, "Damnit, I know where he is." She, and her group, walked towards the nearest cyber-cafe, where Asuka spotted him.

Sitting in the furthermost corner of the cafe, he sat a table with his neon-green hoodie on. He shook his fawn-brown hair away from his zaffre irises. His fingers moved at a incredible pace on his laptop, ignoring the small crowd amassing around him. Each commented on his skill at whatever he was doing.

Asuka pushed through the crowd and asked, "Why the hell didn't you stay in the Gate?"

"Didn't have internet."

"You can't disobey orders Pilot DeLarge."

He shrugged, "Oh well," he shut his laptop and placed it into a bag, "When are we leaving?"

* * *

All five of them sat in the tram towards AUGE HQ, Kasumi sat next to this DeLarge guy, she asked, "Mmm, what were you doing in that cafe?"

His eyes lazily turned towards her, "Playin' a game."

Kasumi lit up, "What kind? Checkers, Chess, Sudoku?"

He sighed, "Nevermind."

Pilot DeLarge turned a icy shoulder away from her. Kasumi pouted, slightly hurt by his hateful atmosphere. Kasumi noticed Linda speaking in German with Asuka, she could only pick out a few foreign words out of their conversation. Why didn't mother ever teach her more German? Oh well.

Kasumi, still eager to strike a conversation, waved towards Erik again. He saw her hand, again, and ignored her, flipping her a bird.

Kasumi had never been insulted like that so, she figured it was a friendly gesture and rose her middle finger back. Erik's mouth gaped in disbelief. Asuka, in mid-sentence, saw the bird fly. She began laughing uncontrollably, "-Oh god, Kasumi put that down. It's not nice to do that."

"But, Erik did that too, isn't that a greeting?"

Asuka giggled a little more, "Well if you're telling someone to screw off, then yes." She turned towards Erik, glaring angrily, "And you, don't taint my little girl's mind."

* * *

The Ruins of Downtown Tianjin-4.

She walked amongst the bastard children of Lilith, of her mother. They, the Lilim, ignored her and her robes. She walked and walked and walked, never allowing her eyes to cease her studies of this battleground. For now this land was holy from God's awakening, and the spilling of her kin's life. Soon this place would belong to them.

She stopped suddenly. She felt a sad aura come from the alleyway, her glowing crimson eyes traveled toward it. As the benevolent being walked into the alley she found something her master would mourn for.

A small child, a boy held the body of a teenaged girl, who most likely to his sister. Her sunken, dull eyes and her decaying brown hair filled the area with a horrid stench. All her attributes mirrored her near-death brother, he held to her like a life-preserver.

She hovered over this sad human and his deceased kin, it mirrored her own sadness. So she kneeled and asked, "Why do you hold onto her?"

The boy trembled in fear, her entire presence seemed demented, from her glowing eyes to her bony, face-plate. She watched him continuously, "Do you fear me? Is it my complexion?" She reached towards her plate and crushed the bone. She revealed her face to him.

He starred in suspended awe, she was beautiful. Her glowing irises, her sky-blue hair, she was flawless. "Do you fear me now? May I know why you hold?"

"...She's my sister... I love her."

She stared quietly back, "...But she is with god... Are you not pleased?"

His lower lip quivered, "What is a god?"

The angelic being eyed him in disbelief, "...God... is a being, the conductor of life, the puppeteer of fate, and the executioner of his serfs. He is the only being in which you need. Would you like to be with him?"

"...Will I be with her?"

She nodded, "Then... yes."

She smiled and reached forward, grabbing his forehead. He felt warm, so warm and then nothing. Where he once sat was now a puddle of LCL. Her face held a few droplets of his plasma, she wiped it off and returned to walking, leaving the corpse of the deceased girl covered in her brothers life.

* * *

The scientist and vessel sat next to another in a peaceful silence. Gabriel, the hallowed soul, looked out his window, grasping at every detail that was Tianjin's skyline. It wasn't the city that stirred his awe but, the sun which laid behind it.

They stopped. Gabriel, still sitting in his seat, didn't move until his door opened. The old Akagi extended a hand to him, which he took uneasily. By far, in his opinion, Akagi was the only Lilim he doesn't consider completely corrupt or disturbed. But she is slightly, he could see it. No matter how well she hid it, he could find it.

"What are we here for Akagi?"

Ritsuko moved her brunette-grey hair away, she checked her watch again, "You'll see." A massive shadow passed above them. Akagi smirked, just on time.

Gabriel, in his core, could feel an icy barrier enter his. He looked towards the sky, "An A.T. Field." As it neared from above, more became visible, "White." The uneven rhythm of its wings gusted the air-strip below. His hair fluttered along-side of Akagi's.

The giant landed, crushing the pavement beneath. It hunched over, the two wings it bore folded into the large pack resting on its back. Couching before them, the Evangelion released its plug. From it the pilot emerged.

A female exited, her alabaster skin matched her own Eva's armor. A wind, most likely a leftover of her wings, twirled her jet black hair. Gabriel eyed her cautiously, she doesn't seem normal at all. The way her eyes starred back at him, their iris a milky white.

Even with her so high above him, he could hear her voice as if she were whispering sweet nothings to him, "Hello, Gabriel..."

* * *

Preview to the next Chapter: Prophecy

Hei had retired to his room, the meal that Hanako made still stained his mouth, he never knew anyone could make something worse that MREs, but Hanako disproved that. Seriously, she made something worse than the three lies in one sentence, jheez.

He thought over what he should do, and had a idea. He quickly searched through Asuka's room and retrieved his knapsack. He unraveled a roll which held his pride, his M82 Sniper, which was completely disassembled.

From memory, he assembled it in no-time. Now what... he stared at the complete rifle. Now... He took a screwdriver and began taking it apart. He kept doing this, over and over again. He never stopped, he assembled then disassembled it over and over again.

He didn't take notice to the shadow on the balcony. It watched him, smiling over his progress since his birth. He looked just like him, well the him that she saw within her. A strong, vigilant protector, he will guard the child forever if she must influence him to. He will be her rock, her terra firma, they mustn't lose another messiah from eroded ground in which they can fall.

He will be the one.

* * *

**It has begun! The biannual Evangelion Tourney is coming! The children collect towards Tianjin-4! But who are they?**

**We need pilots! If you make one, and if it's good enough, we'll add him/her to the story! To reach the Pilot Creation Sheet see here _www dot fanfiction dot net/topic/130733/83809292/1/_**

**For all of you who are new to my stories, I reply to any and all PMs or Reviews, so fire away! 8D**


	5. Prophecy

**IV: Prophecy**

* * *

AUGE HQ.

"Well, here we are guys!" Asuka waved her hand across two doors, labeled G-2 and B-2. Erik threw his bag straight into B-2 his room, then jumped onto their couch. He reclined into it, nearly nodding off from sleep deprivation. The room seemed nice, gray walls, a small kitchen, living area, and a bunk bed. As Neville calmly walked in, he brought an ethernet cable out from his bag.

Asuka halted him, saying, "Oh, don't worry about it Neville. I asked Maintenance to install WiFi here."

He gave her a rare smile, replying, "Thank you Captain."

In the boy's settle, Asuka nearly forgot about Linda. She looked to her right where said girl stood quietly. Asuka asked, "Well? Something wrong?"

Linda shrugged, "No, just that there isn't a window in G-2... I would've liked to have one."

"Sorry."

She smiled, "It's fine. Just a request, ask and you shall receive. Thank you ma'am."

Asuka rubbed her sore arm, "Yeah..." She checked one of the numerous clocks on the interior walls, "Well guys, I have to go, Kasumi's probably waiting for me. Neville?"

He peeked over his laptop, "Huh?"

"Linda?" The sole female in G-2 turned towards her. "Erik."

"Yeah mum?" He snickered.

She smirked, "Have a nice night guys."

Erik gave a half-hearted wave, Neville nodded, and Linda said goodbye in German. As Asuka walked away, Erik nudged Neville, "Hey," he asked, "you keepin' an eye on that?"

Neville, with absolutely no care whatsoever, replied, "I don't work like that." This sentence left his roommate with more questions than answers.

He shook it off, obviously Neville didn't mean it like that, "Well, I call top!"

* * *

Terminal-8.

Kasumi waited, for a good hour she might add, she stood there waiting for Asuka. She heard the click clack of shoes approaching her, "Finally."

Asuka, even being so far away, heard her daughter's comment, "Hey, I didn't take that long."

She popped off her seat, replying, "I noticed."

Asuka laughed, "Well, I'm here now. Let's split."

They walked together towards the tram that waited for them. Asuka slid her ID through a barricade, opening it. Kasumi followed her mother's heels, keeping quiet for her. They entered Tram-8, taking their seats with haste. Asuka and Kasumi sat next to one another in silence, but not a unenjoyable one. It was peaceful, the sunset only peeked above the horizon.

Kasumi asked, if incidentally, "What did you and papa like to do? Together."

Asuka puffed her cheeks, she began, "Well, we picked the veggies when our mothers told us to."

Kasumi giggled, "Aww, come on. I did pick the potatoes."

"Yes but, you forgot the carrots."

Kasumi shook her head, "But really... what did you guys do together?"

Asuka smirked, "Well, we had you." This earned her a glare from Kasumi, "We didn't do much..." She looked up, through a skylight, and into the darkening sky, "We looked at stars, made stories up about them."

After she studied the sky for a moment, "Oh! Kasumi here!"

Asuka took her daughter's hands and aligned it with the place that she was looking towards. Kasumi became stricken with awe. At the end of each finger a star shown, except for her right thumb. Asuka told her, "Me and Shinji found these after Impact. But," she took another look at Kasumi's thumb, "that's weird, that one's gone..."

They heard the shoji, that lead to their cabin, slide open. A thin, robed figure walked in and took a seat a few seats away. Asuka oddly dismissed this as another rider and took back to the sky. Kasumi on the other hand didn't, she would take glances toward the person. She didn't feel threaten but, something else. Then the hooded rider stood and walked pass them, but dropped something.

A sterling silver piece of jewelry, for some odd reason the person didn't notice. Kasumi rose from her seat and got a better look at it, "It looks like the cover of Linda's book."

She knew of silver's extensive value in the world and rushed forward towards "her". She tugged against the figure's robes, telling her, "Uh, you dropped this."

She couldn't see anything beneath her hood, but the shadow replied, "Oh, thank you. But," Kasumi dropped the jewelry into her cuffs, "this looks much better on you." She slid the cross into her sleeves and fiddled with it underneath her hand warmer, "Here," she walked behind Kasumi and placed the cross, now secured with a violet piece of yarn, around her neck. She felt an odd texture brush against her neck, if she could guess, it felt like bone.

Kasumi felt the string tighten, and it finally rested against her neck by a knot. She turned, "Thank you, but really this isn't-" She stopped.

She saw a smile, an innocent, benevolent one. It held no knowledge of evil or sin, she felt her heart warm from it. She felt like she'd seen it before once. It felt... motherly. The figure's hand inched closer towards the hood, she heard and saw a bone plated hand be kissed. She stayed, until the hand reached her cheek. It rubbed and spun her hair, the warmth that she felt come from this melted her wall, "Who... are you?"

That smile, it had so many things behind it. So many different types, they all seemed to mesh into one. She replied, "Someone that you shouldn't know about... at least for now."

"Kasumi!"

She looked around and found Asuka leaning from her chair, "Come take a seat, stay a while."

Kasumi looked around for that woman, "She's gone."

"Who you talking about?"

Kasumi turned towards Asuka, "Didn't you see her?!"

"No," Asuka watched her daughter stand still within the rocking tram, "Baby, come sit."

Kasumi, although very conservative, walked over and retook her seat next to Asuka, her mother told her, "It's ok, it won't take much longer."

* * *

Soryu Residence.

Hanako was exhausted, angry, and annoyed. She'd spent two full hours fixing and seasoning a massive porridge for everyone, Asuka and Kasumi included! She heard another round of the after effects rumble from the bathroom above.

She narrowed her eyes, "HEY! It wasn't that bad!"

Thomas up-chucked another liter of bile, "Bullshit!" His cheeks bulged, making him release again.

Hanako rolled her eyes, "Such a drama queen."

She leaned further into her love seat, taking more calm breaths, Hanako rose from it. She peeked into the kitchen where Kaba still sat the table. The cobalt haired girl stirred Hanako's concoction in a bowl. Hanako, while a little upset, asked, "Kaba, what're you doing?"

Kaba replied, "I do not know."

Hanako's shoulders dropped, "...Can you at least stop playing with it?"

She blinked, "Is that an order, Pilot Fujinami?"

"No... I'm asking you."

Kaba stared down towards her bowl, "...Ok." She placed her spoon down and set it into the sink, she turned the faucet on.

While Kaba cleaned her bowl, Hanako returned to her couch and puffed, "This sucks."

* * *

Hei had retired to his room, the meal that Hanako made still stained his mouth, he never knew anyone could make something worse that MREs, but Hanako disproved that. Seriously, she made something worse than the three lies in one sentence, jheez.

He thought over what he should do, and had an idea. He quickly searched through Asuka's room and retrieved his knapsack. He unraveled a roll which held his pride, his M82 Sniper, which was completely disassembled.

From memory, he assembled it in no-time. Now what... he stared at the complete rifle. Now... He took a screwdriver and began taking it apart. He kept doing this, over and over. He never stopped, he assembled then disassembled it.

He didn't take notice to the shadow on the balcony. It watched him, smiling over his progress since his birth. He looked just like him, well the him that she saw within her. A strong, vigilant protector, he will guard the child forever if she must influence him to. He will be her rock, her terra firma, they mustn't lose another messiah from eroded ground in which they can fall.

He will be the one.

* * *

Hanako still mulling over the dinner she prepared, heard the door unlock. She looked over and saw Asuka returning with Kasumi. She jumped off the couch to meet them, asking, "What took ya so long?"

Asuka walked over to the couch and took her seat, "Well, the trams took a while today, and the pilots were scattered."

"Ah. Well... you guys hungry?"

Kasumi nodded and Asuka did the same, "Alright!" Hanako dashed into the kitchen and took the paste out of a pan. She made two bowls for each of them and took it out to them. She handed them each a single bowl.

Asuka eyed it questionably, but rose her spoon to her mouth. Kasumi knowing a little better, asked, "Who made this?"

"... I did."

Almost immediately after she uttered those words did Asuka spit her porridge out. Asuka's tongue smacked about in her mouth to rid itself of the taste. She, after recovering, looked at the downcasted Hanako, "Honey, next time we'll do it together."

Hanako looked back pleadingly, "I did my best... It had to've tasted fine..."

"IF YOU THINK IT'S SO GOOD, WHY DON'T YOU TRY IT!?"

She lifted her head and frowned at the ceiling, "FUCK YOU THOMAS I DID!"

"I CALL BULLSHIT!" He roared from his porcelain throne.

Hanako growled, then calmed herself, "Don't worry about it."

Kasumi bit her lip and took a spoonful of paste into her. There were many emotions that hit her in that very moment, regret being a very large portion of them. With her will, she forced it down her throat, refusing to gag on it. She finished her helping, Hanako looked back in awe, "You liked it?!"

Kasumi gave her a weak smile, Hanako was as giddy as ever, "Yay!"

And as she retreated to her pan, Asuka gave her a thankful smile, "Here ya go!" She dropped another plate of porridge for Kasumi. Oh my god, Kasumi eyes dilated.

She heard a pair of feet approaching her, then a hand touched her shoulder, "Hey, try putting some spices on it," he whispered.

She looked back a saw Marcus standing behind her, "Where the heck did you come from?"

He shrugged, "My room."

Kasumi noticed that Hanako was speaking with Asuka so this could be her chance, "What spices?!" she asked in a hush tone.

"...Pepper, oregano, and cloves."

Kasumi quietly took the three spices out of a nearby cabinet and shook hardy amounts of each into it. Reluctantly, she took a bite and, to her surprise, it wasn't horrible anymore. Don't get her wrong but, this crap was still pretty nasty, now it was edible.

"Thanks."

Marcus nodded, "No prob." He walked back up the stairs unnoticed by Hanako or Asuka.

Kasumi took a second, to relax then asked her mother if she was going to bed. Asuka replied, "Yeah, the newest pilots are arriving tomorrow, so I need it."

Kasumi asked, "Can I sleep with you tonight too?"

* * *

Kasumi took her hoodie and pants off. She grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and put them on. She then walked to her mother's room, taking her place to the right of Asuka while Hanako had the left. She could feel everyone's breath, Hanako's, her mother's, Hei's... his was deeper, perhaps more vocal than theirs. It also had a calming tone to it, it was peaceful.

Without noticing at first she felt something warm up near her heart. At first she thought it was her perversion of mind at work but, something was literally warm near her heart. She looked quickly down her shirt to see it... she nearly screamed. The cross was there. Why hadn't she noticed it? She now felt the yarn dangling off her neck.

"This is so screwed up."

* * *

After a almost sleepless night, Kasumi had prepared an entire breakfast for everyone once they woke. Even this simple one, just oat meal and such, would be enough. She heard someone coming down the stairs. It was Asuka, "Hey mama."

She rubbed the sand out of her eye, "Hey honey."

Kasumi poured her mother a bowl of oatmeal and took her own seat next to her. Asuka studied it, the meal reminded her of Hanako's "food" last night. "This isn't leftovers is it?"

"Nope."

"Good," Asuka devoured it quickly, while Kasumi ate hers civilly. Once her mother finished, Kasumi took both their bowls and washed them. Asuka got out of her seat a began walking up stairs when her phone began to ring.

Asuka picked the call up and asked, "Captain Soryu... Oh, you got him to pick them up...? Well, are you giving him a job...? Ok, I'll be there soon." Asuka closed her phone and yelled towards Kasumi, "Hey we're heading out! Get dressed."

Kasumi looked back at Asuka, "Uh alright."

* * *

Terminal-8.

Asuka, along with the newly woken pilots, arrived at the terminal for the new pilots entry. Asuka, once again, lead her group into the gates. She spotted the older man with a group of three pilots.

Kasumi, who followed close behind Asuka, immediately remembered him from Unit-21's attraction, "Hey it's that old guy!"

Unfortunately, he heard her, the seemingly older man replied, "Hey! I'm forty-five along with two years of DSD!"

Thomas perked up, "Hey guys! It's Mako!"

Marcus smiled and joined Thomas in a sprint towards him. Hanako's eyes widened, "Really!?" She looked at the figure who stood about ten meters away, "Holy shit it is!"

With a group of three charging him, Mako braced for impact. As they all tackled him, Kaba watched with Asuka, Kasumi, and Hei. They all began bombarding him with questions like; Where've you been; Did you finish that samurai manga; and Why is he here.

"Secret, yes, and to get my new gig."

Thomas sat criss-crossed and looked up to the unnoticed arrivals. The first guy, in his mid-twenties, stared objectively at them. His attire, a orange shirt and baggy fleece pants. He wore a pair of black crocs that looked worn and abused. His short spiky brown hair matched color-wise to his slightly squinted eyes.

Hanako saw the next one, a very tanned girl with green eyes and brown hair. Her spaghetti string shirt and elegantly decorated, white dress bottom suited her warm smile.

The last one, noticed by Marcus, was another darker-skinned male around the female pilot's and their age. His curly black hair and brown eyes gave Marcus a look he really didn't enjoy, mostly because it seemed cocky. The only thing that kept him from saying anything was the fact that this guy was short as hell! Hah! He also wore some rather extravagant silk dress shirt and black pants to match.

Hanako offered her hand to the girl, "Hey! I'm Hanako! You the new guys?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm Sofia. Pilot of Evangelion Mender. Are you Patchwork's new pilot?"

Hanako nodded to Sofia, the Brazilian replied, "It's nice to meet you! So," She looked over to Marcus, "You must be Velocity's new pilot."

"You figured me out." He grinned, "I'm Marcus."

"And I'm-"

She cut Thomas off, "I know you Thomas Oliver, Pilot of Evangelion Warrior. I loved your performance last season."

He smiled, "Really? Thanks!"

The taller male of the group offered his hand to Thomas, helping him and the two other pilots off the ground. He bowed, "I am Chien, pilot of Evangelion Ensnarer."

Marcus waved, "Nice to met you."

Hanako waved too. But she looked at the other, much smaller guy, "So~ you're...?"

"Pilot Khalfani. I pilot Barricade, the biggest Eva to date." He proudly touted.

Hanako retracted her hand, how could anyone be this dense. Damn. She, along with Marcus, helped Mako up. He dusted his brown pants and shirt off. He adjusted his glasses and smiled towards Asuka and Kasumi, "Well, well, well. Look at you Kasumi, how's the ride?"

She smirked, "Well, if you're talking about Unit-21, it was a blast!"

He laughed, then noticed Asuka tapping her foot against the terminal, "Oh right... I ah... Yeah."

She walked up to Mako and whispered, "Don't worry, it was about time. I just wish... you could've asked me first."

He sighed, "Sorry."

Asuka backed away, "Please don't say that. 'He' already wore me out about that."

Mako smiled, "Yeah I remember."

The odd exchange left the pilots mostly silent in the lightly populated terminal. Then a shocking sound came from the gates, "Fuck you Soviet!"

"So what if I'm Russian!?"

The other female yelled again, "I thought all you fuckers were bears!"

When those words were uttered, Marcus dashed towards the origin. In no-time he found two females, one had blonde with red dyed ponytails and one with naturally short, brown hair. He didn't take notice to their eye color as they attempted to rip each other's hair out. He took them both by their napes and slammed both their heads into the ground.

He began calmly, but it slowly escalated, "Who the fuck started that crap?"

The girl with brown hair spoke through her teeth, "She disgraced Mother Russia!"

"Fuck you Iron bitch!"

Marcus tightened his grip on the red-haired girl, "Where you from?"

She spat at the floor, "Norway."

Marcus pushed her face deeper into the tile, "If this shit's about forty-five then you're fucking retarded!"

Her eyes, which he could tell were a light blue, angrily darted towards his, "What fucking deity gives you the right! You ah Red too!?"

"You bet your ass I'm Russian, but I'm British too, the guys who saved your incompetent asses!" By this time he'd completely released his grip on the smaller, younger child.

She smirked, "I don't matter, I'm gonna be a Eva pilot unlike that twerp."

He looked down in disgust, "You twat! You'll never be a Evangelion pilot! You have zero control over yourself!"

The Norwegian nearly busted a vein, "What the FUCK gave you the balls to say that!?"

"Because I'm a Pilot you bimbo!"

By this time the little group had made their way to Marcus and stood back. Asuka particularly enjoyed this, and thought, "So this is his venting, I like."

Kasumi was a little shell shocked, she'd never seen Marcus act like this, so... powerful. He radiated anger. Well Asuka had enough of this, "Hey Chien, you have any zip-ties?"

He nodded and took a handful out, Asuka took two, then sat next to Marcus. She moved her hands to Marcus's hold, "I'll take care of this, just tend to the girl."

He took a breath and grabbed a zip-tie from her. He walked over to the small girl, her dirty, white wife-beater and shorts had holes in them. He didn't know whether they'd came before or after the engagement. He took her hand and gently placed them into the tie. She started crying.

He lifted her chin up, "Buck up mate. When we get to HQ I'll get some new clothes for ya. That sound good?"

She continued, asking, "Am I going to jail?"

He grunted, "Nah, you'll be held by AUGE personnel until we find your parents."

Her eyes lit up, "You guys can find people?!"

Marcus nodded, she smiled, "Can you find my brother? I don't have a mom or dad, just him."

"I'll try... What's your name?"

"Ellen Kalev."

He smiled, "That's very pretty, I'm Marcus."

She smiled back, even with her being around Hanako's age, she seemed so innocent. So... pure. He couldn't help but smile. "Alright, come on." He picked her up by the shoulders and set her feet against the ground. He looked over towards Asuka who had the other "person" by the reins.

He walked with Ellen as they left the Terminal and soon they made their way to the Tram with the others.

* * *

AUGE HQ.

They, the group of eleven, one being detained by AUGE guards, walked through the halls of AUGE's Pilot wing. Asuka lead and guided the new pilots through their accommodations. The three receiving this tour were Sofia, Worset, and Chien.

Worset, oddly, took measurements of each room. Thomas snickered into Marcus' ear, "He probably doesn't want to get lost."

Sofia must've heard them because she covered her mouth, while giggles escaped the hold. Ellen didn't hear it, even as she trailed closely behind Marcus. He seemed nice enough, he did help her out in the terminals, he also isn't like other boys... his age.

After Worset had measured each of the rooms, Asuka toured them into the Mess Hall. She entered and noticed Ritsuko with her two pilots, "Hey Rits."

Kasumi greeted, "Hey Nanna!"

Ritsuko smiled, "Hello dear."

Asuka walked to Ritsuko and asked, "So... what now?"

"Lunch, I'm hungry. But there's a issue."

Worset, even with his small body, had worked quite the appetite on the fly here. He asked, "Well? What's the matter? I have to pray for Dhuhr in thirty minutes."

Ritsuko sighed, "Yes Worset, I know of your pillars but, the staff is underhanded at the moment. Would anyone like to help?"

Sofia offered her hand up first, then Marcus, and finally Kasumi. It wasn't like she made a meal for anyone else today. Ritsuko nodded, replying, "Alright, that'll be enough."

Ritsuko handed them each a apron and hair net, then guided them into the kitchen, "Well, I'll be back I'm going to get the others and come back."

She left and the pilots turned towards the staff of ten. Each distinctly different from each other, Kasumi waved, "Uh hi! So yeah, what'd you want us to do?"

A wrinkled, older woman replied, "Well, potatoes need peeling, dishes are dirty, and we need a person on the fried potato slices."

Sofia made her way to the dishes, Marcus walked towards the oil vats, and Kasumi did what she knew best. It didn't take her long to cut a large bundle of them. And by the time she'd finished, Sofia had completed a large amount of the dishes. They both walked towards the plump woman again, Sofia asked, "Anything else?"

The lady hummed, "Well, you can help with catering, go help that strapping young man over there." She pointed at Marcus, Kasumi laughed.

While they cooked, the pilots waiting for their meals. Ellen had taken a seat on a stool that was relatively near the kitchen. She didn't expect a person to come sit with her, "Hello?"

She looked to her right and was meet with a pair of pale, white irises, "You there?"

Ellen nodded, the girl replied, "Well, not the talkative type are ya?"

Ellen nodded again, the teen next to her humed, "Alright, my name's Miku D. Jackson, but you can call me Jack, Dee Dee, or just Miku!"

Ellen looked at Miku nervously, she replied, "Uh, I'm Ellen."

"That's pretty, you know if you put the two L's in your name together and take the N out, it'd be Eve!"

Ellen felt a little awkward, not a little but a lot. She scratched her cheek, "Umm, thank you?"

Miku nodded, "No problem! So whatcha doin' so close to the kitchen?"

Ellen drummed her fingers against the table, "I'm waiting for Marcus."

This sparked Miku's interest, "Oh~ you like him?"

Ellen shook her head, "No, he's really nice though. He deserves a really nice person."

"What makes you think that? You're nice, or you seem nice enough."

She chuckled, "I'm dirty. But, he was very kind to me. He was the first to do so."

Miku nodded, "Alright, well I could match him with someone at the table if you want."

Ellen looked at her, "You'd do that? For him?"

"Yeah!"

"Ok."

Meanwhile, before Ritsuko had left, she told/ordered Gabriel to "Socialize". Gabriel's first thought, "Are you mad Lilim?!" He stood there, in his personal corner, looking for a somewhat decent companion that he could speak to. That was an order... wasn't it?

So he looked around until he saw Miku socializing with a little girl, he pondered, "What is she doing?"

He felt his legs moving forward, he really didn't want to speak with anyone. He didn't trust anyone except Ritsuko, and even her trust is limited. All relationships bring is heartbreak. Now he found himself sitting on a stool next to this little girl.

"Hey! Gabe!"

Oh god, she noticed him first. "How've ya been?"

Gabriel replied, "We stayed together with Dr. Akagi for four hours and twenty-two seconds. I am fine. Nothing has changed."

Miku pouted, "Aww Gabe you're so mean! Oh well."

Ellen turned to get a better look at him, "Wow, you're all white." Her eyes studied him, his shoes, pants, tank top, and hair was white. "And your eyes." Red.

He brushed his chin, "Have you never seen a Alexandrian?"

"I have, that one girl, Kaba, has blue hair and red eyes like you."

His brow rose, "What's her name?"

"Kaba."

He turned in his seat and looked, "...Her?" He pointed towards Kaba.

"Yep."

Gabriel looks at her for a little while until she began approaching them. Kaba took a seat next to Miku, the seat had a clear view into the kitchen where Kasumi worked. She sat silently, until a finger poked her.

"Hey! You there?"

She eyed Miku, then replied, "I am here." Kaba then tuned everyone out, returning her attention to Kasumi.

After a few minutes, Ritsuko returned with Erik, Linda, and Neville. But another person followed them, recently released from her cell. Ritsuko grabbed everyone's attention by clearing her throat, "I would like Ellen Kalev to come here."

Gabriel looked next to him as Ellen slowly stood. She noticed that other girl, the one with red pigtails. She looked towards Asuka for support, which Asuka replied with two zip-ties in hand. So, she walked forward and asked, "Yes ma'am?"

Ritsuko smiled, "Congrats! You're a pilot."

"WHAT!" The Norwegian screamed.

Ritsuko sighed, "You are too."

"YES!"

Ellen was shocked, she did it. She's a pilot! Now brother has to see her! She'll be everywhere on T.V.!

A ringing came from the kitchen, for the veterans, they knew what this meant. Lunch is served. Thomas, Linda, Erik, and Neville walked up to the line first while everyone else followed them. They each took a tray and filled it to the brim with food.

Marcus, Sofia, and Kasumi exited the kitchen, exhausted by their volunteering, took their plates and filled them. Kasumi took her tray and sat at a table with Hei, Hanako, Thomas, and Kaba. Marcus went his own way until he noticed that one girl with ponytails approach Ellen's table. He sidestepped in front of her and asked, "Um, what's your name? I don't think I got it last time."

She glared, "Ylva."

Marcus hummed, "Well Ylva, come near Ellen again and I'll see to it those ponytails of yours get yanked harder than a Entry plug yolk. You hear?"

Ylva bit her lip, "No problem asshole." She walked away, leaving him alone with Ellen. He took a seat next to her when more company came, first a really pretty girl with long brown hair and a elegant white dress sat with him. Then another girl, still wearing her black plugsuit.

She sat next to Ellen and the other took the seat next to him. The one still in her plugsuit asked while digging into her potatoes, "So, you really made this?"

Marcus nodded, Miku extended her hand, "I'm Miku!"

Marcus took it, "I'm Marcus."

The girl to his right was praying, then, after a minute of prayer, she dug in, replying, "This is spectacular."

Marcus' face flushed, "Um thanks. I had plenty of time to master cooking."

She nodded, "I'm Linda." She noticed something on Marcus' left hand, "Did you burn yourself in there?"

Marcus moved his hand away, "No... It's old."

Linda stayed quiet and scooted closer to his seat, continuing to eat her meal.

All the meanwhile Asuka sat at the "Adult" table. Ritsuko and Mako were speaking to one another. Chien had joined them as well, the only one who didn't actively participate was Gabriel, who had taken his seat with Ritsuko.

Asuka noticed Ritsuko pause in her conversation with Mako, so she asked, "Why did you make those two girls pilots?"

Ritsuko looked up, she slurped a string of noodles before replying, "They're viable candidates for piloting."

Asuka sighed, "So they're homeless?"

"It seems so."

Mako interrupted, "By the way, where am I going to say?"

Ritsuko placed her chopsticks down, "Here."

"Ah, alright."

Asuka smirked, "You have a problem with that Mr. Hyuga?"

Mako, well his true name's Makoto, replied, "Not really, I had to live a NERV with Maya and Aoba. This won't be too much of a transition."

Asuka nodded, "Well tomorrow's the first event, lets hope for some good fightin'!"

* * *

Preview to Chapter Five: Valravn!

A cavern, a void would describe the darkness of this place. It rivaled the pits of hell, a normal Lilim's mind would've broken by now, but here, they thrive.

Eight figures stand in a circle, each facing one another, except the leader and the Third. The Third's partner is gone, taken by their god.

The one next to her, the Wisdom of the Second, spoke, "Crown of the first, do you believe we shall be victorious?"

Another, the Understanding of the Third asked, "We lost our brother, the Foundation of the Ninth, how will we know if our god will continue?"

The Crown replied, "We still have the Sixth within the bastards ranks, isn't that so Glory of the Sixth?"

The Sixth simply nodded, the Crown continued, "Now we must strike at the height of their strength, we all know well who must go now." She turned to the one next to the Ninth's previous place, "Sister! Majesty of the Eighth! Will you partake in this crusade!?"

"Yes! Juumalkuth be with me!"

They all chimed in unison, "May Juumalkuth be with you!"


	6. Valvravn!

**V: Valravn! **

* * *

AUGE HQ.

With most of the pilots retiring for the night, Asuka and her pilots walked to the nearest terminal, waiting for the tram to arrive. With tomorrow being their big day, Asuka needed them well rested too. So, as a favor from Rits, they got to ride in their very own tram alone.

The ride itself was much different from the ones Kasumi had experienced with Erik and the others. For one, Hanako began teasing Marcus about the girl he sat with, what's her name? Linda? Yeah, "I saw you chit-chatting with that girl at your table Mr. Stud."

He growled, "I was sitting at a table with three girls Hanako, who are you talking about?"

"The Jesus freak, Linda. She reminds me of Samurai-boy's little rituals."

Thomas, while watching his anime, replied from a good ten feet away, "And fuck you Iron chef."

"YOU MAKING FUN OF MY COOKING?!"

Thomas smirked, "Yeah a little."

Hanako failed to think of any decent comebacks so, she slid next to Thomas and begins her dialogue over the anime, "Oh great warrior," she exaggerated, "you have unlimited potential!"

Thomas, after a minute or so of listening to this, shouted, "Sonofabitch!"

Marcus, relieved from his release of interrogations on Hanako's part, turned to the window and watched the skyline. Hei and Kaba had their places respectively next to Asuka and Kasumi. The former of the first pair, Kaba, began her usual routine of staring into those eyes of Kasumi. For her, each dive into them was like an odyssey. A great journey in the windows of her soul.

Hei, however, always pondered on more morbid issues. For instance, how many seconds it'd take for him to kill anyone that entered the tram, or perhaps, how long would it take for a grown man to bleed out from a knife wound from the jugular. Easy, if you cut both the external and internal ones then it would take only sixty seconds.

Kasumi scooted closer to Asuka, her attempts at staving herself from the others were obvious to her mother. Asuka placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and asked, "Why don't you talk with them?"

Kasumi shrugged, "I'm happy here."

Asuka grimaced, "I won't be here forever you know, go socialize, act like a girl your age should."

Her daughter quietly walked over to Thomas' side without any back-talk and watched the anime with him. She noticed Kaba walking over to sit next to her, that girl always stood or was around her. Kasumi didn't mind the company whatsoever, it just seemed odd of Kaba to do so.

Kasumi felt lost within a few seconds of watching. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing to a character on Thomas's device with curiosity.

Thomas, without batting an eye, explained, "That's Hayabusa, a ronin..." He noticed Kasumi bite her lip, "A ronin's a samurai without a lord. Kinda like a rouge."

He quickly returned to his show, hoping he didn't miss anything important in maneuvers. He also enjoyed the silence that came from Hanako since Kasumi came over.

Hei was the only one who didn't participate in the viewing, he had more important things in mind. Like the previous thoughts and other trivial things. Just to keep everyone safe, he already planned multiple evacuation routes they could take. Most of them were already stated but, he had back-ups for the standard ones.

Asuka sighed, finally her daughter made a solid attempt to know the other pilots. Phew! She doesn't want her doing down that road. She really didn't need her baby getting screwed up like her... Eh, she got over it. Hopefully they'd be home soon.

* * *

Soryu Residence.

Everyone now rested in their rooms sleeping peacefully, except Kasumi. Perhaps she's still absorbing the fact that her mother won't be with her forever... If there was some way that she could do so, then she'd be happy forever. Maybe even papa can be with them. She looked towards the ceiling, "I should spend time with her."

Kasumi eased out of her futon, she watched each of her steps to not awake anyone. She reached her mother's room and saw Hanako snuggled up into Asuka, sleeping peacefully. Then she noticed Hei resting against his chair without a blanket, Kasumi went to the closet and placed one over him. She smiled, slowly heading back towards Asuka's bed. She quietly slunk into the bed without waking either Hanako or Asuka. She breathed a sigh of relief, gradually closing her eyes to rest.

The entrance of Asuka's room opened slightly, through the crack a red eye peeked in. The door opened entirely and Kaba walked in. Even with Kasumi's attempts at silence through the hall, Kaba had awakened from her tiny footsteps. She waited until she was entirely sure Kasumi was asleep, then she walked in and sat next to Kasumi's sleeping body.

"You like her that much?" She heard the hush voice and turned towards the chair where a pair of orange irises stared back.

She turned to Kasumi again, "I suppose, it feels like an attachment."

"What does it feel like?" He asked.

She pondered that question quietly, "It feels like... holding hands. Something hot inside, yet it does not burn."

Kaba swore she saw Hei's lips curve slightly, he replied, "That must feel good." She nodded. Hei reached to his side and placed his pistol on top of his lap, "Good night Kaba."

* * *

"I don't want to die..." A quiet mumble in the black. Nothing around, empty and alone. "I don't want to die..." Confusion, disgust, sorrow, these feelings mixed horrendously.

"I don't want to die...!" She wanted life! To live, to die would bring nothing! She'd rather take her chances being alive and alone! But why?! Why does she always wish to be alone?! Can anyone tell her?! Is it because of her mother? Is that it?!

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

* * *

Hei heard a scream and whipped his pistol out. He pointed towards the Captain's bed where he saw a shadow, thoughtlessly he shot towards it. But the muzzle flash from his pistol made the silhouette disappear. His hand shook, Hei could hear the footsteps of the other pilots race towards the room. He looked back to the bed, Kasumi was holding Asuka to help her mother recover.

Hei wondered why Kasumi hadn't flinched or screamed, like Hanako did, from the shots as she tended to her mother. Hei slunk into his chair, "What's wrong with me...?"

Asuka stopped shaking and looked at all the pilots, Kaba apparently went back to her room after watching Kasumi because she'd come in with Marcus and Thomas. She gulped, "Go back to bed."

None of them moved, "...Go to your cots soldiers! That's an order!"

Once again, none of them moved, "GET OUT! NOW!"

Slowly they left, not uttering another word. Kasumi and Hanako stared at her angrily, Kasumi asked, "Why'd you yell at them?"

Asuka didn't reply, she only returned to her faux sleep. The memories of that nightmare... she can't handle that now. Kasumi stood out of the bed and walked out, she truly felt angry towards Asuka, her mother had problems so what? Why does she act like that towards people?

Her feet had guided Kasumi back into her room, where her bed waited for her. She really doesn't need the sleep, it's not like she's going to the tourney. Regardless, she supposed, it'd be better to get some rest. With that, she crawled back into her bed, falling asleep just as her head touched the pillow.

* * *

The dawn of morning peeked over the horizon. By the time the sun had greeted another day, Kasumi was downstairs preparing the pilots lunches. Unfortunately, the only breakfast material she could find were granola bars. It would have to do.

She heard something from outside. Kasumi, curious about what it was, leaned out of the front door. A fleet of sixteen massive, helicopters flew above Kasumi's home, blowing dust and dirt right into the steel building's side. But, it wasn't the helicopters that caught her attention. It was their cargo, each carried an Evangelion.

The sixteen Evas were crucified to giant, red crosses. The first one was Standard, the violet finish seemingly glowed in the light. Its chin touched its chest, the body was slack against the cross. The second, Warrior, followed behind. The dark green armor blened into the hills, and the double frills gave the Unit the majestic form it was known for.

The next was Gunner, the dull, matted armor didn't shine but, it held its own aura. Commanding and deadly, a perfect weapon. She looked towards the one behind Gunner, however this one looked much different from the other Units. The white and yellow Eva had a scarf-like ribbon around its neck, each one starting at the collarbone.

Suddenly a massive shadow covered Kasumi and the hill, she turned towards the obstruction and was shocked. Possibly the most massive thing she'd ever saw. An amber Evangelion, a good third higher than the others, broke the horizon and gleamed in the sunlight. The Unit's headdress reminded Kasumi of a pharaoh's.

She heard a door slid open from the balcony, her mother walked out and watched the Units as well. Asuka commented on the Unit as it flew over the hill, "That's Barricade, the one Worset pilots."

Kasumi grunted, "So he wasn't kidding! That thing's massive!"

Another helicopter flew in with another familiar Unit, Patchwork. The blue unit's arms, as of the norm, had their patches covering them. The jaw restraint, a bar, held the Unit's mouth closed.

Then a midnight black Unit flew in, the armor was nothing but black, not a single other detail. Kasumi asked, "Why is that Unit so bland?"

Asuka chuckled from above, "You'll see." Asuka turned to the next unit but stopped, "What the hell!?"

A white and purple unit came over the hill, Kasumi knew this one very well, "Why are they taking Unit-21?"

Asuka didn't reply, but did retrieve her phone. She dialed a number and waited, "...Ritsuko! Why is Unit-21 being lifted?!"

Ritsuko, on the other end, sighed, "No reason, don't worry about it. Seriously, it isn't even filled with LCL."

"That's not the issue! Kasumi is seeing it being lifted, I don't want her to think she's going!"

"Oh she is though."

Asuka screamed, "WHAT!?"

"Yes, as your CO I am ordering you to bring Kasumi. Like it or not, you're bringing her."

Asuka stared at her phone in protest, "Who the fuck do you think you are!?"

"Your CO, I'm sorry Asuka. Either you bring her or A-2 will."

Kasumi heard her mother scream at the phone, but ignored it. As more Units came she took note of each one. A couple had passed after Unit-21 did, a red and green one had passed and seemed to have a turtle shell on its back. Another one was all white and without shoulder pylons. The one after the last one was black with white stripes.

Then it came, an obsidian purple Unit with red highlights revealed itself. The wicked, red visor seemed to follow her as she watched. The head was very similar to Unit-21's, with the lower jaw exposed, it didn't have a frill like hers but, it had two fins that extended from the cheeks. And at their ends bore two triangular plates.

More came, a scrub green one with a disc resting against its head, then a grey one with a large tattered cape, it resembled shrubery somewhat. A red one came over, it was Velocity, Marcus' Unit. She knew this one well enough to remember it. The last helicopter came with its payload, another enormous grey and white Evangelion. The helm looked alot like a skull for some odd reason... Not as big as Barricade but near that heighth.

Kasumi had spent so much time looking at the Evas that she didn't realize her mother coming behind her. Asuka nudged Kasumi, "Pack your bags."

Kasumi turned towards Asuka, "Why?"

"...You're coming with us."

* * *

A cavern, a void would describe the darkness of this place. It rivaled the pits of hell, a normal Lilim's mind would've broken by now, but here, they thrive.

Eight figures stand in a circle, each facing one another, except the leader and the Third. The Third's partner is gone, taken by their god.

The one next to her, the Wisdom of the Second, spoke, "Crown of the first, do you believe we shall be victorious?"

Another, the Understanding of the Third asked, "We lost our brother, the Foundation of the Ninth, how will we know if our god will continue?"

The Crown replied, "We still have the Sixth within the bastards ranks, isn't that so Glory of the Sixth?"

The Sixth simply nodded, the Crown continued, "Now we must strike at the height of their strength, we all know well who must go now." She turned to the one next to the Ninth's previous place, "Sister! Majesty of the Eighth! Will you partake in this crusade!?"

"Yes! Juumalkuth be with me!"

They all chimed in unison, "May Juumalkuth be with you!"

* * *

AUGE Flashpoint Kyushu.

A flight from Tianjin-4, Seoul-5, and finally Yamaguchi-4 was short and surprisingly quiet. Kasumi still couldn't believe that she was here, on Japan! Well, what remained of it. She took note of the red soil below her feet, stained from the blood of god. It felt squishy, uneven and sticky.

She looked up, all the Evangelions stood ready for combat against the "event". Only a few more minutes... Kasumi looked over towards the arena, a coastline with weapon canisters scattered across the shore. She felt so jittery and excited, she'd never seen one of these events live. She was so excited.

Asuka, while observing the shoreline, yelled towards Kasumi, "Come here! It's about to start!"

Kasumi nodded and ran over to her mother. They both entered the bunker behind Asuka. They, along with a few of the security staff, watched the individual Evas launch. After successful launches from all the Evas, even the ones piloted by the new pilots, the event timer began running. Floating cameras began appearing from seemingly nowhere.

In the center of all the Evas, a small all black Unit, "Punisher." Asuka commented.

Kasumi struggled with the idea that this little Eva would do any damage, "What's so special about it?"

"You'll see..."

The timer hit zero, and all the Evas launched. The Punisher Unit, between all of them, activated. It shoulder plyons opened, revealing the shouldermounted machine guns attatched to them. A slot next to the Eva spat out a gatling rifle, arming the nimble Eva with a deadly weapon. It opened fire all around itself, covering every inch of its space.

The Evangelions flexed their A.T. Fields, excluding the Medium Unit. Barricade's took a brunt of the force, but it began faltering. Worset cursed wildly, "What in Allah's name is this!?" A fissure appeared in the field.

Ellen tried getting closer to Punisher but kept falling. She couldn't walk with her Evangelion, that's at least more than can be said about Ylva, she couldn't even make her Unit stand. Marcus inched closer and closer, Velocity's blade readied. But, he couldn't pierce the field. "Damnit!" Punisher's A.T. Field pushed him back.

Erik began charging Psychosis' beam, "Just hold them off a little longer you idiots," he quietly whispered, "I'll win this." Psychosis entered the final stage of the charge, just as Erik was about to fire, Punisher dashed to the side. "Damnit!" He couldn't focus on Punisher.

Linda took Brute's field and blocked the Unit from escaping, it however began firing on her. "Mein Gott! Nein! Don't you break!"

While they faced their oppenent, a child of two gods began walking through the field. Some of the cameras began following the robed figure, zooming in on the woman. Asuka, while in the bunker, noticed the cameras attract towards the woman. "What the-" Her eyes widened in horror, "Ritsuko! Deactivate Punisher's Dummy Plug!"

No response, Kasumi looked at Asuka, "What's wrong?"

Asuka didn't reply, "All Evangelion pilots! Ceasefire! This no longer an event! Combat level-5, code red!"

Thomas turned towards his window, "Level-5?!" The last time... "Hei! Get-" A shot from Punisher connected to Warrior's jaw, "GAH!"

Hei frantically began searching for a target, "Objective ma'am?!"

Asuka yelled, "Target's a robed female, exactly two hundred and thirty-seven meters south from you!"

Hei looked towards the south end of the shoreline, "But, ma'am-"

"SHOOT NOW!"

The indoctrination took over, Hei fired without mirth. The round whizzed towards the woman, the round nearly hit her... Then it bounced off a surface, as if it was rubber. Hei looked down in disbelief, he fired again. Same result, again he fired.

Punisher stopped firing on the Evas and turned to the female approaching them. It pointed its rifle towards the woman and unleashed a hellstorm of lead upon her. Asuka sighed, "So the Nemesis Programing is kicking in, thank god."

Kasumi looked at her mother, "Nemesis?"

"It's a program in the Dummy Plug that targets the highest threat."

Punisher kept firing, until the woman only stood a few meters from the barrels, the rounds continued bouncing off her light. She reached forward and grabbed one of the spinning barrels. The weapon jammed as she held it. She, and her purple irises, looked at the metal softly, "A tool of war. How unfortunate." Her field wrapped around the rifle than twisted it into a useless heap of metal.

It twisted until it reached the shape of a spear, she launched it into the Evangelion. It ripped passed the Eva's field effortlessly and tore into its chest. Punisher broke its restraints and howled in pain. The other Evas surrounded her, their weapons pointing at her. She rose her hands to a surrendering pose...

But she didn't, her hood fell and revealed her plate. It had seven jagged horns protruding from the brows of the mask. The mask began sinking below the flesh of their opponent, Asuka held her mouth, "Rei...?" She whispered horrifiically.

Her blue hair danced in the Evangelion's breaths above her, she reached for the bone plate on her arm and broke a sharp piece off. A demented smile graced her face as she rose the improvised blade to her throat. She closed her eyes, a single tear trickled down. She cut a long line along her trachea, severing the jugular and multiple blood vessels.

And it flowed from her body like the rivers of Genesis. A large pool grew around her as she fell to the ground, the orange liquid quickly turned to black and small hands began grabbing at her, dragging her below the surface. She disappeared below her own blood, the pilots were shocked and didn't speak. Most of them hadn't seen a person die before.

Suddenly a scream peirced the air, filling it completely. Something began poking through the black lake of blood, slowly exposing itself. Two hands, only consisting of bone, began crawling out of the pool. Gradually, flesh began forming around the bones giving the horrendous creature a terrifying body. The skeleton now exposed itself completely, without the eye holes of a normal human. Along with her, little black demons breached the oil like blood, and attacked in swarms. They began running towards the bunker.

The flesh soon wrapped around the entire being, the mouth was covered by skin until she tore it away. Horns, the same as the ones before, began sprouting from her brow. A wicked smile met all the pilots, she rose her hand to the bunker, her hands looked as if she were puppeteering the air around them.

Asuka looked over towards Kasumi and wrapped her arms around her, "Get down!"

She swung her hand down, smashing the bunker with her A.T. Field. An implosion of dust rattled the entire base, destroying a majority of it. Kasumi, after the dust settled, felt something warm around her back. She turned and grabbed Asuka.

In her arms Asuka, her mother, began bleeding over her distraught form as Kasumi held her hopelessly. Kasumi had so much blood all over, she pressed harshly against the rebar that penetrated her mother's stomach. She felt her tears burn her cheeks wildly. "Mama! Please wait for them! Help's coming! Just wait!"

Asuka weakly held her daughter's hand, "Don't cry... That isn't the strong little girl I raised. I believe in you." Memories of her childhood passed, the times she spent with Asuka, her first cookie, her first can of soda.

Kasumi sucked her lower lip in, shaking uncontrollably. She looked up, the large monster began attacking the Punisher and the other Units. Gunner emerged from dock and fired multiple rounds towards the beast, none making contact.

Kasumi noticed the pool growing larger with every second that passed, "Mama, you're gonna be ok. Just bear with me!"

Asuka's remaining eye began drooping, "I should've told you the truth about Shinji... about papa."

Her daughter held Asuka's hand to her cheek, "You'll be able to tell me! You'll make it! It'll be me, you, and everyone together! Don't say something like that! Look at me!"

Kasumi heard a hum that halted her for a moment. Then a thundering crash blew dust and debris over her. It settled, Kasumi found herself within the shadow of a colossus. Unit-21 hovered over them quadrupedally, with both hands and knees, the shadow was of its body covering both her and Asuka. Steam hissed from the released jaw, the white canines and pink gums drooled with saliva.

Suddenly, the monster whipped towards them, its god within "sight". She began floating towards them, her wicked teeth baring towards her god. Her "eyes" glew, she released her light and fired towards the lesser beings below her god.

Unit-21 covered both Kasumi and Asuka with its hands taking the brunt of the force as it splinted against its armor. Kasumi froze as the light pierced the Eva's skin, she shielded her mother from it as it burnt her hoodie and back. She screamed in pain as the Eva did.

Kasumi's back blackened, when she moved her back peeled a scorched layer. She could smell her flesh burn, she nearly retched. With tears of pain and sorrow trailing down, she checked Asuka, the pool had grown more. Unit-21 retracted its hand, its A.T. Field pushing the abomination back.

Kasumi flinched as a large piece of metal fell from the Eva. She looked up, the Eva's head, no longer armored, lowered. None of its features visible except the masquerade that was the protective skin. However, the four black slits, two to each side, bulged.

Four eyes, lacking sclera, emerged. Each had an inner pupil plus three additional ones circumferencing the eye's ring. Kasumi looked into the Eva's eyes, they were blue.

Kaba then stopped attacking and looked over. Her eyes caught that color, she dropped her rifle, "The blue jay..."

The Eva's lips curled into a frown its canines revealing themselves again. Its nostrils flared rapidly as if it were panicking. Its eyes welled, as the moistness grew, Asuka coughed blood onto what remained of Kasumi's hoodie.

Asuka began laughing, her teeth bloody, "I'm sorry... I... I dunno what to say." She began crying too, "I love you so much, Shinji's so proud of you, I know..."

Kasumi couldn't hold it, she began wailing. Just as the Eva did. Kasumi's tears dropped, the Eva's splashed. Kasumi beat her fist into the ground, the Eva smashed its own. She screamed, and the Eva screamed, its hands mending and repairing themselves.

Unit-21 slammed both hands to shield both of them. Kasumi felt warmth caressing her back, it didn't hurt like the other heat. Asuka's eyes widened. She felt it stockpile within her, then it made sense what was to happen. After all, this had happened to her once, "I'll never forgive you for that time you know..." She smiled.

Kasumi looked in bewilderment, Asuka saw this, "Don't worry honey... I'm not talking to you..."

All of Asuka's strength went to the light that she saw, a wonderful one. Her hand made a silhouette against it, "I'm home..."

Welcome home...

Asuka closed her eyes, in a flash her body exploded into an orange substance. Kasumi held Asuka's clothes, they were missing their wearer. Kasumi's eyes dilated, she screamed. The Evangelion's eyes glowed red. It roared with absolute hate that no entity, god or mortal, ever could match.

Pulsations of energy echoed from its core, with each pass the grass grew or died. Rocks, dirt, even entire skyscrapers from the old city, were ripped from their foundations. The earth around Kasumi remained, her nails clawing into her eyes, doing anything to extinguish this greek fire of pain.

Unit-21 scooped Kasumi into its hands, it lifted her to the plug. She however wouldn't move, so the Eva gently placed her inside with its A.T. Field. She didn't even notice the transition of air to LCL, partially because there was no LCL within the plug. She felt another feeling well within. Hate... hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE, HATE!

She grabbed both yolk, shoving both straight into their max output, she screeched.

The Eva dashed forward, shattering the A.T. Field that was being bombarded by the others. Hei halted them, "EVERYONE! Ceasefire! Ceasefire! Friendly in killzone!"

The rounds stopped and Unit-21 did its work. Kasumi felt something tear in the palm of her Eva's hands. She shoved the pain filled hand towards the beast. When it connected, a lance of light ejected from the palm. It entered the abdominal, exiting from the lower spine. The beast's mouth gaped, Unit-21 took the upper and lower jaw into hand, it spread the two apart until the lower ripped off.

With the inability to move from the neck down, it merly "watched". The pilots watched the gore fly, with little specks of LCL hitting their Units. Unit-21 punched the beast to the ground, straddling it. The Eva's claws dug into the ribcage, tearing both "wings" from it. With its insides now exposed to it, the Unit feasted.

Useless organs for a unworthy creature. It would rid these blessings from this bastard. With them in hand, the Eva pulled the lower intestines from the still living carcass. Finally, after quite a dig, it found the core fused with the spine. It had taken so much to get there, lungs ripped away, the gallbladder, the stomach... so much flesh to devour, to savor.

And how beautifully satisfying, seeing your enemy and yourself covered in blood. This was sickly, disturbed, and merciless. Just how judgement should be delivered.

Unit-21 dived into the cavity, its teeth ripping the core from its place. The entire body trembled and expanded, then exploding into a mess of LCL. Unit-21 bit into its apple, the core, like candy. So sweet it thought, this being hardly deserves to be nutrients for itself.

With LCL trickling down the alloy armor of Unit-21, it turned to the other Evas. Worset took a defensive step forward, flexing his Eva's A.T. Field. Psychosis flipped its lever-action shotguns to chamber another round. Gabriel already had his drones circling the berserk Eva. The others watched in anticipation.

Unit-21 roared at the Evas, taking aim towards the prepared ones. Its glowing eyes glared towards them, Hei knew this wasn't going to end well. He turned to the unarmed Standard, with his target finder retracted, his Eva winked towards the purple unit.

Kaba saw Gunner's hint and began strafing around Unit-21. Once she was directly behind the Eva she pounced, Standard hooked both arms underneath Unit-21's armpits. Kaba slammed the Eva to the ground while it flailed its legs like a toddler. That's when Gunner dashed to Unit-21, holding the chest and arms down.

Hei pushed against the bloody Eva, "Kaba, manually eject the plug! NOW!"

Standard's shoulder fin released a Mark 0.3 Prog-knife from it. Kaba dug into the entry panel, scooping out flesh that grew from it. However, it kept growing. She finally ripped it off and ejected the plug. The Eva, in mid-roar, stopped. Its eyes lost their glow, the body slacked into Gunner's grip.

Standard held the plug while it attempted to launch away with the rockets. They died down and Standard lowered the pill-shaped capsule. Kaba used the Eva's strength to rip the entrance off, she herself ejected and climbed down her Eva. By the time she reached the entry plug, a multitude of pilots were also sprinting towards the plug. Even Neville showed concern as he sprinted towards it.

Gabriel remained in Stalker just as Thomas did, it wasn't because they didn't care. Just the opposite in fact, they were keeping watch for more attacks. It seemed that those "things" were exterminated, soldiers all around the area fumbled uneasily.

Kaba clambered into the plug haphazardly, she found Kasumi. She kept shoving her yolks back and forth, her face was blank. Nothing, the Kasumi she'd knew was gone in this moment. All that she was lost itself in the darkness of death. Silent tears trickled down her face as she continued heaving the yolks.

Kaba could feel her own eyes sting for some reason, she wrapped her arms around Kasumi. She pulled her into her shoulder and she felt the tears run off her suit. Her entire hoodie was nearly gone, her exposed chest pressed against Kaba as she held her.

Hei leaned into the plug his eyes worried, "Where's Captain Soryu!?"

Kasumi dry heaved from her tears, Kaba turned towards him. Hei couldn't believe it, of all the years he knew the girl, Kaba was crying. She replied, "I... think we all know..."

Hei eased out of the entrance, backing up to Hanako. He failed... all the planning, all the time he spent concieving these bulletproof plans damnit...! He failed the captain... She looked at him, his eyes drooped, "I'm sorry Hanako..."

Her eyes widened, "No... Nononononono...!" She clutched her bangs, screaming painfully.

A fleet of cameras that'd recorded the entire event swirled around the pilots. One came to close to Hei, its lens closing in on him. He pulled his USP out and shot the floating sentries. It whirled out of control as it fell to the earth. He walked up and fired another round into it, then another, then another. By the time he knew his clip was empty, he'd clicked the trigger more than a few times. Oddly, nobody flinched when he fired.

Neville walked away, his eyes watching both of his feet. Sofia ran over to the plug with her medical kit in hand, little did she know her work was completed by Unit-21. Erik placed a hand on his head and another on his hip, he controlled his breathing to calm himself.

Worset did the only thing he could, he prayed. His forehead to the torn earth, he prayed for her salvation, not damnation. Linda muttered beneath her breath, "Ach, die welt ist so lieb, sie am ende ihres lebens ... Ruht in ewigen frieden Kapitän... Komm, susser tod..."

Next to her Marcus and Ellen stood still somewhat absorbing the info. Marcus rubbed his neck while Ellen fiddled with her fingers. She didn't know the lady that much but, she was nice to her...

Chien seemed to be unphased, he'd seen death before. This wasn't new to him whatsoever. He walked away as Ylva blankly stared. That stupid German... she shouldn't have died. Dumbass Zeppelin heads...

Miku looked at the puddles of LCL at her feet and saw her own reflection. She bit her lip, "I hope this ends soon."

Now, in this silent arena, there was no rifles being discharged, no blood to be split, and no roars of pain. Just their sadness and sorrow... it echoed through this place louder than any of the things said before...

This place was now her hell.


End file.
